Return as a Rider
by quickreader93
Summary: Kel is kicked put of Page training. She leaves all her friends and family, and a few years later she comes and joins the Riders under a different name. She wants to show everyone that she is worthy to be a warrior.K/D
1. Chapter 1

Return as a Rider

Thanks to WarriorKnight all my chapters are going to be edited and all the mistakes corrected. So all the chapters will be reposted soon.

"You sent for me, my lord," she said

Lord Wyldon sighed and turned "Sit down girl"

Kel hesitated, and then sat.

Wyldon absently massaged his right arm.

"I want you to listen to me. I speak to you as I might to one of my daughters. Now that you have made your point, consider your future. Soon your body will change. The things that you want in life as a maiden will change. Pursue the course you have, and you might be crippled by an accident. What if you should fall in love? What if you came to grief, or caused others to do so, because your thoughts were on your heart rather than combat? This year was the easiest. For these reasons, you cannot return in September."

Kel's blood ran cold and she struggled to keep the tears at bay.

"I can't come back, then"

"No, you may not. You are dismissed"

Kel got up and walked towards the doors, struggling to keep her emotions at bay. She hesitated then said,

"You will regret this one day," and walked out of the room.

Once she was out of the lair of the training master, the tears began to flow freely down her freckled face, and her body felt cold with anger and disappointment. Every step she took towards the room, she thought of her year.

The bullies, Joren.

The hazing of first years.

The constant homework and weapons training.

The punishments.

Her friends. Neal, Cleon, Seaver, Merric, Roald, Diane, Salma.

Her dreams of Knighthood.

Her sadness and anger soon changed into determination. She couldn't let one wrinkly old stump of a man stop her from helping the innocent. She was going to find a way to show people, show them that she could fight and be a great warrior for her country. That she was able to save people.


	2. Chapter 2

i want to thank all the people who added me to their alerts, favourites or reviewed me. it really pushes you to want to write more. there may be a few mistakes in here as i haven't checked it.

thanks again and keep reading.

Once Kel was in her room she made sure her door was shut and locked. She didn't need Neal or her other friends now. She needed to escape the palace. The plan was to disappear, find someone to teach her fighting, and become a warrior fit to defend the kingdom. Thankfully, she had packed all of her gear earlier, in case her worst fear happened. The tears finally began to slow down. She took a deep breath and thought. I am stone. I am stone. And the flow of tears receded. She turned to the sparrows, who were looking at her curiously. Crown flew up to Kel's shoulder, but Kel brushed her off. Crown chattered and looked curiously towards Kel.

As if Crown were human or she a wild mage, Kel told her, "You can't come with me. I would be noticed too easily, and Diane would know where I was. Anyway, you wouldn't get any food with me."

Crown and the rest of the flock started chirping in protest.

"No, and that's final. I don't want you to come." Kel said, her eyes once again brimming with tears. She didn't want to lie to them to get them to stay. Crown flew out of her room and the flock followed.

She looked around her room for the last time. Then she picked up her weapons and her small pack that lay on the edge of her bed.

"Kel!" There was a voice at the door, followed by a knock. "Kel, open up! It's Neal."

Kel froze. She couldn't face him, not now. Not after she had failed. Kel spun and opened her shutters, fleeing from the room. As she passed the courtyard, she caught a short glimpse of her gloom-ridden sparrows. Clearing them from her mind, she ran as quickly as she could with her packs down the path she had traversed for a year, which led to the stables. The day had now faded and the darkness was seeping through the palace.

Once in the stables, she went to Peachblossom's stall. He looked at her strangely and gave her a look that said "What are you doing?" Knowing that he would probably understand her, she said "Escaping."

Quickly as she was able, she saddled Peachblossom and placed her bags and weapons onto his back. Then she went to lead her horse out of the stable; however, she knew she would never be able to get out of the palace without help.

She called into the stable lofts.

"Stefan! I know you're there. Come down a minute. I need a favour." And as she predicted Stefan climbed out of the loft and stood face to face with Kel.

"What sort of favour?" he asked, taking a close look at her.

"I need you to help me get past the guards."

"And why is that?"

She looked him straight in the eye and said, "I think you know why."

"You know you are stealing Crown property?" he asked, looking towards Peachblossom, who shook his head. He looked at Stefan and Kel, conveying a message which both of them understood clearly: "I belong to no one."

Stefan turned to Kel, saying, "If you hadn't saved Peachblossom and helped him so much, I wouldn't let you take him." Kel looked at him with thanks.

"Peachblossom is yours, because he would defy any future masters and would try to follow you and keep you out of trouble."

Kel turned to Peachblossom, pulling out an apple she had got at breakfast earlier that morning, and gave it to him. "I knew you liked me."

Stefan then said to Kel,

"To get past the guards, you don't need my help. Just say you are delivering something urgent to Port Caynn and they will let you through. If that doesn't work, give them a silver noble and say Stefan sent you, and they will let you through."

On impulse, Kel quickly hugged him, saying, "Thank you." She mounted up and told Peachblossom to walk out of the stables. She turned in the saddle and said to Stefan, "See you in a couple of years."

Stefan grinned. "I don't doubt you. Gods all bless you, Keladry of Mindelan!"

Kel whispered "go faster" to Peachblossom." The guards let her through under the excuse of an urgent message to Port Caynn, but she still gave them a coin for letting her through. Kel rode down the main cobble streets of Corus and out of the city, not once slowing her pace until she was clear of the houses. The moon illuminated the road for her journey. She called out into the winds, to the Gods and anyone else who could hear,

"One day I will return. One day I will show Lord Wyldon and anyone else who didn't want me to be a Knight. I will show you how great a warrior can be."


	3. Chapter 3

_**This is not the full chapter. so many people wanted me to update that I thought i would update what I already had written. Thank you so much for the reviews and the responses. I will hopefully be posting the end of the chapter soon. Sorry about the long wait as I have been planning the rest of the story. trying to figure out if i should use flash backs of her time away from the palace before joining the riders or have a few chapters where she is seen travelling and becoming a better warrior. **_

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_The battle in front of her was a frenzy of swords clashing, but all the men of Tortall were falling rapidly to metal monsters and blond haired men. Blood was running on the ground like a fast flowing river. Screams of women and children cut through the sound of clashing swords. Kel stood watching the madness. She reached for her sword but looked down and she realised she wasn't wearing any armour or weapons. She was wearing a flimsy dress that was puffed out and pink. Her hands held no calluses and were weighed down by bracelets and rings. _

_In front of her, Neal and the rest of her page friends were battling but losing. There attacks were not coordinated but were desperate _

_They shouted _

"_Kel!!! Where are you! We need you!"_

_Kel tried to shout but nothing was heard. She tried to make her way towards them but she could not move. One by one they fell to the ground unable to rise anymore. _

"_No!!!!" Kel thought. _

_A face appeared in front of her. His blond hair was loose and drenched in sweat. Blood was splattered across his face. His brown eyes were wild and as he came closer to Kel. A fear ran through her veins making her feel cold. His face was so close and she could smell death and blood from his breath as he said "Aren't you a pretty little girl" then his deathly aroma surrounded her. _

Kel woke up in a clod sweat to the pounding of hooves against the well trodden road. She was lying on the side of the road , her head lying against her pack and Peachblossom grazing the grass near by. She had ridden through the night and only stopped when the sun began to rise in the sky, and Peachblossom would walk no further.

The group of riders, clad with the Queens Riders insignia slowed down and the leader of the group peered at the girl who was lying at the side of the road. She dismounted and the rest began to follow suit. She was short, just slightly taller than Kel, with a short nose, firm mouth and level black eyes. She was stocky; all of it muscle. Her black hair was braided tightly back in a braid, showing her high check bones and square chin. On her Rider insignia was gold

Recognition crossed the face of the K'mir.

"Aren't knights supposed to rise with the sun" Kel then, now fully awake looked closely at the speaker and realised who it was. Commander Burium Tokarum of the Queens Riders. Kel couldn't keep the emotions out of her voice when she replied.

"Well it's a good thing I'm not going to be a knight then." Kel felt tears prickling in her eyes. No, she thought. No more tears.

The commander looked confused.

"Wyldon wouldn't let me stay. And I couldn't stay in Corus, so here I am."

"WHAT!!! That idiot of a man. that…." One of the male riders, he had blond hair and blue eyes, came up behind Burium and put his hand over her mouth. With a grin he said

"Buri, we have a child here, and we shouldn't be teaching her foul language"

A female rider, who had black hair, green eyes and freckles ( **I hope that is the right description of Miri- I have lent my wild magic out to a friend so I haven't got the actual description**) then said "well maybe we should cover your ears seen as you are still a child"

"Well that would make you an infant" the blue eyed rider replied

"Well at least I have manners"

"I have manners!"

"Really? What about the time…." The female rider was cut of by Commander Burium Tokarum yelling

"EVIN! MIRI! SHUT UP!" everyone jumped and the riders called Miri and Evin flinched.

The commander turned back to Kel , her voice back to its original volume

"What excuse did Wyldon give to kick you out?"


	4. Chapter 4

It has been far to long. I have done so much planning for this story so I will not be giving up on this. I am thinking of posting this plan as a seperate story so if you think this is a good idea please review and tell me

Hopefully the next chapter wont take as long to post

Thank you so much for all my reviews and those who have added me to alerts and favorites. I truly appreciate it.

enjoy!

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**Return as a Rider – Chapter 4**

_"What excuse did Wyldon give?"_

Kel told them what Wyldon had said and out roar soon occurred. Colourful language and raised voices were heard from the angry riders. Burium was cursing so much and such an inventive way that it would make a grown soldier seem when he cursed to be praising a person. This time Evin did not stop Buri from cursing as he was doing the exact same as Buri at that moment. It took a few minutes before all of the Riders calm down and be able to think rationally.

Then Buri asked

"What are you going to do now?"

"I really don't know. I haven't decided. All I know is that I need to clear my head and figure out what options I have. I want to help people, that is my main priority and I want to be able to fight." Kel paused for a second and then continued saying "I might go back to the Yamani Islands because at least there I can train with my glaive and learn self-defence."

Buri was quiet for a minute absorbing all of the information that Kel had given.

"Add this to your list. Join the Riders. We will not turn you away. I have seen you fight and you could probably beat some of our Riders" she said this eying Evin jokingly and he looked outraged. He was about to say something but the girl called Miri stopped him by putting he hand over his mouth preventing any sound from escaping. Buri continued "if you weren't so young or could change the rules I would accept you into the Riders right now."

The thought of joining the Riders hadn't occurred to Kel and hearing this information she became curious. So she asked

"What do you need to join the Riders?"

"Nothing really, just join in any local town and be in Corus by March full moon"

"Is that it?"

"You have to survive training" Buri replied and the Riders around groaned remembering the training.

"I can survive. I survived a year of Knighthood training and tackling bullying." Kel said slightly bitterly

"Though what helps?" Kel said

"Being able to become part of your horse." Miri mimicked someone who Kel guessed to be one of the trainers.

"Stamina" one called

"Endurance" called another

"Any weapons training" called Evin. The list grew longer as other riders gave ideas. After a while it grew quiet again and once again Buri was the first to speak

"Unfortunately we need to set off soon for Corus if we are going to get there before dark. Are you going to be coming with us?"

Kel shook her head.

"I guessed you would say no but I had a responsibility to ask. Are there any letters that you wish me to deliver to tell people where you are?"

Kel hadn't thought of that during her escape from Corus. So Kel replied

"Would you if I quickly wrote something now?"

It wasn't long before the Riders and Kel had set off in different directions but not before Buri told Kel if there was anything she needed to get in contact with her. Kel was touched by the act of kindness from a person she hardly knew.

As Kel rode for the town that wasn't far away her mind drifted back to when she was telling her parents she wanted to try for knighthood. She had said "ill do it. Want the training and ill know more at the end of the year than I do now if I am sent away at the end of the year."

Determination flooded through Kel. Determination to show everyone she could fight. Determination that she could be great. Determination to be a Rider. Then for the first time a while. Kel smiled.


	5. Chapter 5

**this is a short chapter as i thought i should leave it on a cliff hanger. the next chapter is written it just needs to be typed so it should be up in the next day or so....or perhaps in a couple of hours. thank you so much for all reviews and those who put me on alerts or favorites. im so glad people are liking my story!!!!**

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Kel was sitting in the inn of Middletown( called this as it is between Corus and Port Caynn). She had arrived in the small town in the middle of the afternoon. For a small town it was bustling with people. Kel sat at a table in the inn devouring the food which she had bought along with a room for the night. She put her troubles to the back of her mind and enjoyed watching the people around her who seemed to have no worries about the direction they were travelling. A few eyebrows were raised when Kel arrived in the inn as she was a young girl with no parents, a horse of good quality and weapons. They just swallowed their curiosity and formulated theories why she was there so they would not lose their money from her business or cause a fight if she was a fighter.

Kel's eyes were constantly drawn to a man and a young girl who were sitting in the corner of the room. The man seemed tall even sitting down. He had a long pointing nose and Kel could deduce that he was a Yamani. He had a Yamani mask in place and rarely spoke to the girl sitting next to him. She was a lot shorter than the man. She had black hair tied back in a plait. However her face was covered veil so only her eyes could be seen. For some reason Kel didn't think she was Bashir, to Kel she seemed a Yamani.

A young serving girl came across to take away Kel's plate, but before she left, Kel said

"Excuse me. Who are those people over there? The one with the veil and the man?"

The girl was shocked that Kel had stopped her and was so polite. The rumour she had heard was that she was part of a group of vicious fighters who recruited when they were infants and trained them to kill. Recovering from shock the girl said

"That is the Shang Eagle and his student" Kel's eyebrows raised on her face and plans started to formulate in her head. This was her opportunity to learn more fighting techniques.

"Thank you" Kel said with a smile and gave the girl a copper for her information and because Kel could tell the girl was quite poor as she wore worn clothes and looked very thin. The girl looked nervous and looked as if she wanted to ask something.

"Do you want to ask me something?" Kel asked kindly. The girl took a breath and asked "there is a bet going on and I was told to ask….Are you part of a group of bandits or fighters?"

Kel grinned and answered "No! Why would they think that?"

The girl sighed in relief as she realised Kel was not part of a group of fighters. The girl didn't answer Kel's question but mumbled "thanks" and scurried off to her friends in the kitchen.

Kel shook her head in amusement at the girl's antics and stood up, brushed the crumbs off her clothes and headed over to the table where the Shang and his student were.

The Shang looked up and stared at Kel with his dark eyes and asked in common with a slight Yamani accent

"Can I help you with anything?"

"Would you train me?"


	6. Chapter 6

_"Would you train me?_"

"No" the Eagle replied firmly.

"Please! I wouldn't be a burden. I just want to learn. You don't have to teach me I could just observe you teach your student and I could learn from that. I would do anything. Please!" Kel pleaded.

The Shang thought for a minute scrutinising the girl in front of him. The girl who was desperate to learn. The girl from what he could tell had previously had some form of training and carried a sword hanging from her waist.

"No." he repeated.

"How about if I duel you and if I win you will teach me but if I lose I will leave you alone/"

The Shang Eagle thought about this proposal for a minute, he glanced at his student who nodded. Then he turned to Kel and said,

"I agree to your terms but you will duel my student. What weapon would you like to use?"

Hope, determination and joy filled Kel and she answered quickly before he changed his mind "the glaive, the Naginata sir."

The Eagle's eye and the students eyes widened in amazement in the choice of weapon. The student asked in a quiet and foreign voice which Kel recognised to be Yamani. Kel guessed that she was the same age as herself.

"Where did you learn the Naginata?"

"In the Yamani islands"

"How long did you live there?" the student asked in Yaman.

Kel replied in Yaman "Six years. When shall we duel?"

"As soon as you're ready" the student replied.

The sun was setting in its red glow and the lights were being lit. Kel and the Shang student stood opposite each other in the courtyard. The steel on their weapons glinting from the dying light.

The tall Shang stood at the sideline as a referee and a judge. Kel imagined her self as a calm lake. Her Yamani face became apparent and she became focused. Kel began the duel by quickly striking first. Her blade a blur. The student's blade clashed against Keel's. Her veil fluttering around her face.

Kel drew back to be his with fast successive blows. Kel blocked them easily and dealt blows that were slightly more powerful than her opponent.

Both of them were evenly matched. The Shang student was slightly faster but lacked power. Kel had more power due to spending a year training with the male pages.

Time quickly passed and the pace had slightly slowed. Sweat began to form on each of the girls.

Neither of them wanted to lose but Kel had more determination to win due to the face this was her last chance in her mind to get training.

Darkness had fully come before the Shang eagle finally stopped them. Neither of them would have stopped until one of them won. But it was highly unlikely it would be soon as they were so evenly matched.

The Eagle stopped them declaring the fight as a draw. "Enough" he said.

Both Kel and the student were confused as neither of them had won.

There was a pregnant pause before the student said

"Can you train her? Can she travel with us? It would be nice to have some female company and a new training partner?" the Yamani girl said breathlessly. "Please!"

The Shang Eagle was in silent turmoil, unsure what the right thing to do was.

"Please can you train me?" Kel also asked breathlessly.

It was quiet again for a minute before the Eagle said

"You will no questions. You will follow all of my training methods and be loyal to my student and me." The student eyes lit up triumphantly and Kel was stunned to silence, unable to believe that she actually had a chance to train with a Shang. An actual Shang.

The Shang Eagle continued "you will address me as sir or Eagle. You will answer truthfully any questions I ask. I will not accept any misbehaving or misconduct."

Kel nodded.

"Meet my student…"

"Yuki" the student butted in. the Eagle glared at his student

"In the courtyard tomorrow at dawn. Do you have a horse?"

Kel nodded

"Camping gear?"

"A bedroll and a hammock, sir" Kel said finally able to speak.

"What's your full name?"

"Keladry of Mindelan."

"Mindelan? You're a noble I should have guessed as much when you wouldn't take no for an answer. Your mother saved the ancestral swords and your family is looked favourably by the emperor. Am I right?" he said with a thoughtful and amused expression

"Yes, sir"

"What are you doing her on you own then?" Yuki asked confused

"I was not allowed to continue my training for knighthood because I was a girl so I was trying to clear my head and think of a new was to fight and help people."

"Well I am going to head to bed" the Eagle said and left Yuki and Kel in the courtyard. Yuki spoke first saying

"As I said before my name is Yuki and I am 12 years old and I think we are going to best of friends"

"Keladry of Mindelan and I am 11 years old and I completely agree with you." Kel said with a laugh.

"Can I shorten your name?" Yuki asked "it's a bit of a mouthful"

Kel nodded

"How about Kel?" Yuki suggested.

"No…..I don't want to be known as Kel anymore. Too many reminders."

Yuki nodded knowingly and thought for a minute before suggesting.

"How about Dree? As in Kel-ah-DREE."

"I like it" Kel said with a grin. "From now on my name is Dree, not Keladry on Mindelan."


	7. Chapter 7

Thank you to all that have reviewed. i just have a few things to say about the story

**Kel had not met Yuki in the yamani islands but she did know Shinko.**

**Kel is not going to be a Shang. It is just a time filler. **

**Hope you like this chapter. REVIEW if you like or have any questions or ideas!!!!**

**P.S More people who review the quicker the next chapter is up as it gives me more reasons to update. **

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The next morning came swiftly and Kel woke up without the sparrows to help missed their presence but pushed that to the back of her mind by picking up her glaive and practicing. After completing her morning glaive practice in her small but clean room, and ate some breakfast she made her way with Peachblossom in tow to the courtyard of the inn. The sun was beginning to rise when she saw her new two traveling companions with two horses, one for each of them.

"Dree" Yuki called. Her eyes sparkling above her veil. The Eagle nodded in greeting and Kel assumed that he wasn't a morning person.

"Have you paid for your room" Yuki said chirpily

"I paid last night" when Kel had paid she was surprised at how little it cost and how small dent it had made in her savings.

"Is this your horse?" Yuki asked looking at Peachblossom. Before Kel could answer Yuki was over at Kel's side with an apple held out for Peachblossom.

"Be careful. Peachblossom can be quite vicious at times" her mind drifting back to Peachblossom attacking Neal on a daily basis. Her heart ached at the loss of her friend.

Peachblossom took the apple and Yuki started stroking him saying

"He's such a gorgeous horse and I don't think he will hurt me. I think he likes me." And to Kel's amazement Peachblossom looked content with Yuki being near him and made no sign to show he was going to attack o be mean to the friendly Yamani girl

Eagle finally spoke saying "we better get off before the town gets any busier"

Kel moved to mount Peachblossom but before she could the Shang Eagle said

"No. you and Yuki will be walking, jogging or running today to increase your stamina. " Yuki groaned and Kel was unsure whether to be pleased that her training had begun or dread the fact he would probably collapse in pain later in the day.

As soon as they were a good distance away from the Middletown inn they finally stopped. The sun was high in the summer sky declaring it was midday. They had ventured off the well beaten paths, away from any travellers travel in the mysterious depths of the forest.

Kel's legs and feet ached from the fast paced walk they had been travelling at. Kel guessed Yuki felt the same as she was also massaging her feet and legs.

Yuki looked up and gave a comforting smile and said "it gets slightly better the more you walk"

Kel took this information in, smiled back and replied "I truly hope so". That's when Kel froze as she looked at Yuki again.

Yuki wasn't wearing a veil. Yuki had a round face, almond eyes, a small nose and mouth which were delicate and suited her.

"Where is your veil?" Kel asked confused and shocked.

"I don't wear my veil all the time. Only when I am in public." Yuki let out a small giggle, her almond eyes amused when she saw Kel's confused expression and just when Kel was about to ask why, Yuki stopped her saying

"Dree please don't ask." Yuki put her Yamani mask on concealing any emotion from Kel. Kel let it go knowing she would learn the reason in time. Kel knew she could be patient unlike her old friends at the palace.

The Shang Eagle then spoke startling the two girls "now that you two are both warmed up from that walk lets start with hand to hand combat.


	8. Chapter 8

_This chapter has taken way too long to be posted. Thank you SO much for all the reviews. it means so much to get such positive reviews. The next 2 chapters are being typed right now so hopefully it will be posted later today. _

_Next chapter will be Buri's point of view and the following chapter more about Kel and her traveling companions will be revealed_

_Enjoy!!!!! (Sorry its short)_

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**Chapter 8**

**Neal's POV (takes place as Kel is escaping the palace)**

He gave up reluctantly and left the silent room that had belonged to Kel to go to his own room to sleep.

The next morning came swiftly and breakfast among his friends was miserable. Everyone was quiet and gloomy. All of them expected the worst as Kel had not spoken to any of them since she went to see Lord Wyldon the previous night. None of them new what had happened but they all assumed the worst, that she had been "kicked" out of page training.

However any hope of Kel being able to stay was shattered when Lord Wyldon announced to all the pages that Keladry of Mindelan would not be returning the following year to train to become a knight.

All around Neal there where shouts of outrage about the Stumps decision, all except for a few who went by the name Joren and his cronies.

Neal couldn't help but smile internally as he realised Kel had made a greater impact on the pages than both himself and Kel had thought. She had touched each of the pages through her bravery against the spiderens, her determination by putting up with the torment of Wyldon and Joren and most of all her chivalry.

Neal hurridly ate his breakfast as soon as the prayers were said, hardly tasting what he was eating. Neal put his tray away and sprinted to Kel's room. He knocked on Kel's door but there was no reply. He knocked again this time saying

"Kel!....Kel! It's me, Neal. Open the door. Please."

Once again silence replied. He tried for another five minutes with no success. He sighed with defeat and headed to the courtyard to see if Kel's window was open. As soon as Neal entered the courtyard a frenzy of sparrows surrounded him like a tornado, chirping and shrieking.

Neal was slightly concerned by the sparrow's reaction to him. Thankfully the flew back to their tree and only Crown and a male sparrow, that Neal, if he remembered correctly was named Freckle, remained shrieking and flying round Neal in distress.

Neal looked towards Kel's room and saw the shutters to her room slightly ajar. Neal rushed over and opened the shutter calling "kel" but only the sound of the sparrows replied and to see a narrow room neatly made, chair, desk but no Kel. He looked in the privy but once again it was empty. He came to the conclusion Kel had gone.

Crown and Freckle seemed to try to relay a message but Neal couldn't understand them. They seemed annoyed that Neal could not understand them.

Hardly any time had passed before the sparrows with Neal in tow found themselves in front of the Wildmage's rooms. The door opened to reveal a woman with grey eyes. Neal told Daine the situation and asked her to translate what the sparrows were saying. Daine the said solemnly to the distraught Neal

"The sparrows say Kel has gone. They say she left last night and left them behind."

Neal was in a daze by the time he left Daine. He couldn't believe Kel had truly gone without even a goodbye.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**Buri's POV (takes place after she and her rider group leaves Kel)**

Meanwhile Burium Tourakon Commander of the Queen's riders, commonly known as Buri along with her riding group entered the palace of Corus.

Buri was still fuming at the "kicking out of the former girl page, Keladry of Mindelan, even though hours had passed since she had seen the girl. Buri couldn't believe the stuck up stump of a conservative what able to kick out a potentially amazing warrior.

For the first time Buri let the stable hands take care of her two horses and headed towards the Nobles quarters with the letter Keladry had entrusted to her. Soon the short commander stood in front of the Mindelan's door. Buri knocked loudly on the door forgetting that it was not a room to a rider but to two nobles who without their knowledge had just lost their daughter.

The door opened to reveal a short stocky man, who Buri believed to be Baron Piers of Mindelan. In the background Buri could see to female figures, one old and one around Buri's age. Buri handed the letter to the Baron with a grave face and left swiftly.

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The Matriach of the Mindelan family was furious. Not only at her granddaughter but at Kel's parents. She had been sitting in the room when the letter had arrived from the fierce looking commander. She knew as soon as there had been that loud and rude knock on the door that something was amiss. The Matriarch would have bet a lot of money guessing that it would be about Keladry.

She would have won a lot of money as the letter was from her granddaughter Keladry.

The Baron and Baroness, Piers and Ilane of Mindelan were confused by the bringing of a letter by such a notable person.

Piers opened the letter in his hand and quickly scanned the letter. His face was Yamani blank and was silent. The tension in the air was thick with suspense. The Matriarch known to have little patience ordered "read it aloud. I don't have the patience or the time"

_Dear Mama and Papa_

_I am sorry to tell you I have failed at my dream of being a Knight and that I have left the palace to find my path. I am sorry I couldn't tell you goodbye but I knew you would stop me. I have Peachblossom and the skills I have learnt throughout the years in the Yamani Islands and my year training as a knight to protect myself._

_I will try to uphold the honour of our family, even though I may already have ruined it, by remaining anonymous. Please do not tell any one where I have gone and do not try to search for me. I will return when I am ready_

_I will write if I can_

_Your loving daughter_

_Kel_

The Matriarch was the first to break the silence by asking "what are you going to do now?"

With her Yamani mask in place Ilane said

"We are going to respect her wishes."

"It will be a scandal"

"It already was" Ilane snapped back. She had just lost her daughter and was in no mood to cope with her mother's grilling.

Piers then spoke "we will say she has gone back to Mindelan and keep it like that until she returns."

Everyone in the room was silent contemplating what had just happened and what had been said.

* * *

Buri walked out of the noble's quarters and headed back to the rider's barracks. On her way, she saw a large man sitting under a dim mage light on a bench. Instantly she recognised the man, Raoul of Goldenlake and Malories Peak.

He had an expression that Buri rarely saw on him. It was one of anger. She guessed he had heard the news of Keladry of Mindelan. He always had high praise for the girl page, especially when she had kept her cool when the spiderans attacked.

Buri took a seat next to the large man. He didn't give any indication that he recognised that Buri was sitting next to him but Buri knew he knew she was there. He was just too angry to speak.

Buri took one of his large warrior hands into her own as support.

After a while of sitting in the dim light Raoul spoke.

"I can't believe he let a warrior with so much potential get away. She had such a bright spark- one which I rarely see. I would have taken her as my squire if she had made it."

Buri was shocked as Raoul NEVER took a squire.

Buri said with a grin after she got over a shock "well at least she might be a rider"

"What?"

"I spoke to her on the road and told her to join the riders" Buri said smugly

"That's so unfair!" Raoul whined. He sounded so childlike Buri couldn't help but laugh.

There was silence again but both of them were content. Abruptly

"Do you want to know who I feel sorry for?"

"Who?"

"The person who has to tell Alanna."

Buri burst out laughing and Raoul followed suit.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed these two chapters. Now the true story begins.

Please review!!!


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you so much for your reviews. I have has so many reviews and it has made me want to write so much more. I am going to do a side chapter later about Alanna's reaction because I haven't written anything for it yet as I originally wasn't going to but because of the positive feedback about it I will try to get the reaction up soon.**

**This is half of the original chapter but I haven't the time to finish the other half but hopefully it will be up within the next two weeks. **

**I am going to try to improve my grammar but I doubt it will improve as I have no beta and my grammar is particularly weak**

**Thanks**

**Chapter 10 **

Almost a year had passed since the fateful day when Kel began her new journey with the Shang Eagle and his student, Yuki. From dawn to well into the night they would train in everything ranging from history to hand to hand combat to how to treat poisons and etiquette . Every day Kel would ache from the previous days lesson. The training was far more difficult than any training she had done put together and never before had she made such rapid improvement. Soon she began to beat Yuki more often than losing. However during this time Kel noticed that things were never as they seemed. The lessons that were taught were none Kel would have thought a normal Shang would need, like how to spot assassins and the best way to conceal weapons in dresses. There were looks and snatches of phrases that Kel heard and saw between the Shang and the student that hinted upon a hidden agenda and the use of Yuki's veil in public. Kel didn't say anything or make an issue of it as she didn't want to risk her training because she pried too much. But despite these secrets Kel found the Shang Eagle and Yuki become like family. The Shang Eagle like an uncle or even a grandfather while Yuki became like Kel's sister and best friend.

The sun was just thinking of rising to create a bright sunny morning in the hill country. Kel rolled over in her bedroll on the stone floor to try to go back to her dream of the Yamani islands but Sayuko laughed as Yuki who was freakishly chirpy in the morning began to shake Kel to get her up

"Goooood Mooorrrrning Dree. Time to get up" Kel groaned but got up anyway, she knew it was pointless to try and stay in her dreams.

"Why do you have to be so chirpy in the morning? It's not healthy or natural"

"Not my fault you are a grump in the morning"

"The sun hasn't even risen yet"

Yuki paused for a moment before saying "now it has"

Kel and Yuki began preparing breakfast on the fire in the cottage they were staying in. the cottage was more like a room with four walls. There were no separate rooms just the one large space. It was a slightly smaller version than the one Kel and the rest of the pages had stayed in the previous summer. Originally when they stumbled upon the cottage it was covered in weeds, overgrown plants and the wood on the shutters were falling off their hinges but after a deep cleaning over several days it became their haven for the winter and consequently their home permanently.

The Shang Eagle wasn't present by the time Kel and Yuki finished making the porridge for breakfast. They weren't concerned though, as the Eagle was always late for breakfast as he went for a walk in the surrounding area until he wanted to come back. Kel had finished her porridge and was beginning her stretches by the time the Shang Eagle arrived back at their camp.

"Morning Eagle!" Yuki said chirpily. Sometimes Kel couldn't believe the girl was a Yamani she was too chirpy and smiled too much. He nodded in response. He was a man of little words unless he was drilling you or pointing out what you were doing wrong.

"Dree just stop your stretches and come over here, you too Yuki."

Kel became slightly nervous as this is the first time Eagle had not done his usual routine and she was worried that he had a worse form of training.

"Today you are not going to be doing your normal routine. I am going to set you a task to see if any of my training has helped you"

Both Kel and Yuki were curious and excited at the thought of something new, they listened intently to what the Eagle was saying.

"There is a group north of here camped by a pond. I want you to locate them and gather information about them. You are to go undetected and report back here no earlier than dusk"

Determined looks crossed both of the girl's faces.

"You will pick what weapons you will take and decide between you how you will carry out this task." And without saying anything else the Eagle left the cottage and wandered into the forest which surrounded them.

The two girls began planning between them what they were going to do. Both of them knew the area well as they had been living in the area for over six months. They both decided to use face paints of green, brown and black to disguise their skins and be able to blend into their surroundings. They were agreeing on most things until the choice of weapons began.

"What weapons are you going to bring?" Kel asked

"I am going to just bring my knives" Yuki said with no hesitation "and you?"

"Im going to bring my knives as well but I have this feeling which tells me I need my glaive"

"You can't bring your glaive. Its too big and it will be a nuisance."

"I know. But something is just telling me to bring it so I think I am going to bring it"

"There is no point arguing, so ill let you bring it. That's everything sorted isn't it?"

"I believe so"

* * *

Kel and Yuki donned brown and green outfits which concealed lethal knives and any skin that was revealed was covered in paints. Yuki carried small pack that contained a small amount of food and some rope in case they needed to climb anywhere and Kel only carried her glaive.

"Are you ready?" Kel asked Yuki

"I have never been more"

They both made their way stealthily across the hilly terrain and once they began nearing their destination they climbed into the trees and carried their journey in the tree tops, hopping from one tree to the next. Kel conquered her fear of heights earlier that year.

_The Shang Eagle, Yuki and Kel were riding through the forest on the way to the hill country when the Eagle suddenly asked questions in rapid succession at Kel _

"_What's you favourite colour?"_

"_Favourite object"_

"_Favourite weapon" _

_Kel had no time to think when she answered the questions. _

"_What's your greatest fear" and without hesitation Kel answered "heights" _

_The rapid fire of questions stopped but the eagle said _

"_From now on every day you have to climb what ever I say"_

From that day Kel had to climb everything from trees to walls to mountain sides. Soon Kel could climb anything without feeling the need to be sick. They slowed down their walk in the trees until they came to a stop where the camp was just in view.

One of the members of the camp headed to where they were hiding. Kel held her breath as the person came closer. The male was relieving himself in the latrine which was a couple of metres ahead. Kel looked at Yuki conveying a message that said "_we just had to find a hiding place that was next to a latrine_"

Kel looked back to the male who was there and gasped silently. The male had red hair and looked around twelve years old. Kel recognised the person immediately. He was one of her friends

Merric of Hollyrose


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello again everyone. This chapter has taken wayyyyyy to long to update and I can only apologise. However this chapter is my longest yet!!!!!! Thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews and I will try and respond to all my reviewers and to say sorry for the last chapter being predictable it's just that I am going to be sticking as close to TP's books as possible. So this chapter is going to use some of TP's words…I don't own any of TP's work….unfortunately. Also in this story some of the dates may not exactly match but I will try my best. **

**This is the unedited version but I thought it would be better to post it and shorten the wait.**

**Well Enjoy**

**NOTES on the chapter**

**Italics=sign language**

**MPOV-Merrics 3****rd**** person point of view **

KPOV/DPOV-Kel's point of view/Dree's point of view…. (Oh look K/D…Kel/Dom…sorry that was a bit random)

**PS by the way I have had problems imagining the geography and placement of all the character sooo it may be a bit odd. Please just go with it until I figure out how to place each of the characters.**

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**Chapter 11**

_Previously……._

_Kel looked back to the male who was there and gasped silently. The male had red hair and looked around twelve years old. Kel recognised the person immediately. He was one of her friends _

_Merric of Hollyrose_

_

* * *

  
_

She could not believe her eyes nor could she believe the coincidence of it happening. Or was it? To Kel it seemed too coincidental for the Shang Eagle to decide to create a mystery test for both her and Yuki just as the group of royal pages were staying in the nearby area.(Possibly extend?)

Kel was snapped out of her thoughts by Yuki waving one of her petite hands in front of Kel's face. Using the sign language the Shang Eagle had taught them for situations when they were undercover Yuki signed to Kel

"_What's the matter?"_

"_I recognised the boy just then"_

"_The redhead?"_

"_Yeah he was one of my page friends"_

Yuki's eyes widened in shock but a look of realisation dawned on Yuki's tanned face. Yuki didn't sign back; she just turned to look back towards the camp leaving Kel and herself to contemplate about the appearance of the pages.

**MPOV**

Merric emerged from the trees and headed back to his group of friends which at the moment consisted of Neal, Faleron, Prosper, Owen and Seaver. The group hadn't been the same since Kel had been kicked out of page training. The group didn't smile as much and each of them felt partly responsible for Kel's departure as none of them protested too much in fear of also being kicked out and also the fact that none of them had heard from Kel since her departure from the palace. The court rumoured that she is hiding in disgrace and shame at Mindelan and is unable to visit anyone as she has so many lessons to catch up on after living with "barbarians" and training to become a Knight. Neal had tried to speak to Kel's mother but with no success. She had told Neal that Kel didn't want to speak to any of them. Neal insisted something was not right and that Kel would want to speak to them but he did not push any further.

"You took your time Hollyrose. Did you get attacked by a squirrel or something?" Faleron said

"No he more likely got lost" Neal said

"Or fell over his own feet" Faleron replied

"Very funny. No I didn't get attacked by a squirrel or get lost or fall down. It's just eerie in the forest. I kept feeling as if someone was watching me"

"Like someone would want to watch you use the latrine. I mean….." Neal was cut off by Lord Wyldon, otherwise known as the Stump shouted "QUIET". The pages became quiet instantly.

"Gather round. Today you are all going to be hunting for your supper and if you fail you will go hungry tonight and tomorrow until you find anything." Wyldon said. He rubbed his arm before continuing "Queenscove, Tameron, Hollyrose, Tarside, Jesslaw and Kings Reach. You're in one group. Faleron you are in charge of this squabble and will be headed in that direction. Head over to Eda for more information on the task."

Merric followed Faleron and the rest of the group. They were walking along a broad creek and they had all decided if worse came to worst they would spear fish for supper. As they walked Merric kept getting a feeling that someone was watching them, following them. Merric was constantly looking behind them and after looking behind once again Neal said to Merric "there is no-one following us. No imaginary ghost or your imaginary friends. Not even a squirrel"

"What is your obsession about squirrels? I swear…." Merric stopped speaking and looked behind him once again to look towards a bush that was rustling.

The whole group then turned towards the bush in question, their weapons ready to strike what ever emerged. Their hearts were pounding with anticipation.

The creature emerged. It was grey-white for the most part; black splotches adorned the end of its nose, its only whole ear and its rump. It had two small black triangular shaped eyes and a crooked tail.

The boys let out the breaths they were holding in when they realised the creature was only the dog that had been hanging round the pages and had been told was named Jump.

The boys lowered their weapons.

"I guess Dog isn't on the menu" said Owen. Jump seemed to back in agreement. The dog was smarter than your average dog, due to the fact he lived in the palace where the Wildmage resided and was treated by the Wild mage. The boys continued down the trail they were walking on before Merric piped up

"See I told you something was following us"

"Silence ordered Faleron "you want to scare off all the game"

**KPOV/DPOV**

Kel made sure that she and Yuki followed the group of her page friends. She knew if she messed up they would cover for her but also and more importantly she wanted to reinforce her memory of them.

Instead of travelling by treetops as they had done earlier both Kel and Yuki decided to walk on solid ground as it was less likely to attract attention, as well as the fact it was easier and the pages were incredibly unobservant and the teachers were staying at the camp. The sound of their feet on the ground could scarcely be heard.

There was an ugly dog that was also following the pages but for some reason it didn't seem to give Kel or Yuki any thought and just ignored them. However Kel was surprised at the fact that Merric noticed someone was watching them but defiantly not surprised at the fact the rest of them were ignorant.

They followed the pages towards the valley when Yuki started to sign to Kel

"_Dree, do you realise where they are headed"_

Kel stopped for a moment to think and then it hit her. Her eyes widened at the realisation and she whispered "The Bandit camp"

"Silence" Faleron ordered "you want to scare off all the game"

Kel whispered to Yuki not caring if they were heard.

"We have to stop them. They could be killed"

"We can't. It goes against the Shang's orders"

"We can't just let them die"

Then they heard the dogs of the bandit camp begin to bark and the sound of the pages running followed.

"Are you going to help them or not?" Kel demanded

"Dree. I can't." Yuki whispered.

Kel couldn't bear to look at her supposed best friend. She couldn't understand how a girl who was training to become a _Shang _would not help the pages, her friends. A Shang was supposed to help people in need.

Kel emerged from her hiding place just as the pages began to slow their pace. Kel noted their panic in their eyes. All of them looked to Faloren then Neal for orders but both were frozen in panic.

Kel then made herself known to the pages, coming towards them with her glaive in her hand. Her face covered in paint saying.

"If you want any chance of surviving. Listen to me"

They looked at her in confusion and bewilderment at the strange person who had appeared out of no where. Not wanting to reveal her cover Kel started to distribute orders without using any of their names.

"Mages. Blind'em, hide us, confuse'em now! Bows! One shot aim for the horses then fall behind the spears" they stared at her.

"NOW" she barked

Light blared in front of Prosper, white edged with blue. It would blind anyone looking at him or the people near him.

"Bows" and the pages with bows set arrows to their string and loosed them towards the oncoming bandits. There was a cliff wall 20 metres behind them "fall back to the cliff. Bows and mages first then spears" she cried. Shifting beyond the haze of green and white lights Kel saw the hill men draw back a little. Four of their numbers were down and possibly dead. Most of the men were still mounted and were squinting to see the pages exact location. All of them were wary.

Kel repeated her earlier order and all the pages obeyed. They were now backed up against the cliff and she now counted the enemy. 23 still remained. The odds were bad. Luckily for the pages they had her on their sides as well as someone to command, and not to mention 2 mages. Kel looked around her looking for an escape or something that could help them. Her eyes locked onto a goat trail that rose along the cliff face and it was way too narrow for horses.

Kel pointed to the cave and everyone looked "just to that cave" she pointed to faleron "you first. Then green mage who will switch to archery. Then rest of you. White mage give them a blast of light when I say then run for the cave. I'll cover you. No go!"

The pages hurried to do as they were told. The archers gave a couple of last shots as they retreated up the cliff face. Kel released some of her daggers from her sheaths and threw them at the enemy with deadly accuracy, killing at least two men. One rider decided to test coming through the light veil and headed for Kel. With her glaive ready she used a sweeping movement to give a fatal blow to the man. Kel soon forgot about him as she used the end of her glaive to hit a raider dog lengthwise knocking the dog away from the dog called "jump" by the pages.

Light blazed from Prosper (the white mage) and she shouted to him just as more riders were beginning to follow the other rider's suit and go through the blinding veil

"NOW!"

Bright light blazed around her blinding her foes. Prosper began running to the cave with Kel following behind. Two raiders continued even though blinded to follow Kel. They dismounted and in a swift movement a knife lodged itself in one of the mans heart and Kel's glaive slit the throat of the other. Kel pulled the knife out of the mans heart, cleaning it with a handkerchief she had in her pocket, unwilling to lose another knife. She carried on up the cliff face to the cave.

The pages were waiting when Kel came into the cave, all of them looked at her in awe and amazement, even Merric who was down with an arrow in his left shoulder.

"How badly is he hurt?" Kel asked Neal who was tending to Metric

"It missed anything vital. But I can't do anything more than stop the ouch. I'm not trained enough" Kel wanted to comfort him but she knew she could not. She had already revealed too much by making an appearance.

Kel opened her bag that she had been carrying since dawn and pulled out some bandages and herbs. Kel threw them to Neal saying

"Pull the arrow out and quickly use those herbs on the wound. That should slow the bleed. Then tighten the bandage as tight as possible" (I do not know how to treat arrow wounds or if this would work)

Neal looked at Kel with gratitude in his green eyes and after giving a nod of thanks got to work.

"Who are you? Where did you come from? Why did you save us? Where did you learn to fight" the new boy that Kel didn't know but over heard from the boy was named Owen blurted out in a rush.

Kel sighed internally with relief knowing that they did not recognise her but a small part of her was also upset for the same reason. She scolded herself. They wouldn't know you were in the hill country. They think that you are safe at Mindelan and have ignored them all year. Kel didn't answer Owens's question but then asked Faleron

"Did you blow the horn?"

"Yes. Can we at least know your name?"

"No you won't ever need to know my name as you will never have to speak of me again."

The pages were confused by her words but were soon distracted by the sound of the company of pages and teachers coming to save them.

While they were all distracted Kel slipped away.

Kel headed back through the forest towards her own camp and it wasn't long before Yuki caught up with her

"Dree!" Kel didn't respond to her but kept on walking.

"I can explain"

"Explain how you were going to let my friends die!"

"I wanted to help. You know I would. But I couldn't. My hands were tied"

Kel took a deep breath and exhaled. She imagined herself as a calm lake and not an angry girl.

"When we get to camp I need you to explain, and you better have a good reason."

They continued walking in silence when Yuki abruptly asked

"Why do we have that dog from earlier following us?"

"What dog?"

"That dog." Yuki said pointing to it "the one who saved in the fight" Kel looked at the dog and said waving her hands "Go away. Go back to the pages" the dog didn't move

"Go" she repeated.

"The dog won't go. I think it wants to stay with you and repay his debt to you"

"How do you know that?"

"I'm good with dogs. I always have been. It runs in my family. They breed the best dogs in the Yamani islands."

Kel froze and blinked in confusion and curiosity as that was the first time Yuki had mentioned anything about her family.

"I'll explain everything" Yuki said

They walked in silence back to their empty camp and Kel waited patiently until Yuki had started the fire and decided to begin her own tale on her own without encouragement.

"My full name is Yukimi noh Daiomoru and I am not training to become a Shang"


	12. Chapter 12

**Thank you soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much for all the reviews and support from all you. I am so sorry I haven't updated sooner but you will be happy to know you are having TWO chapters, not just the usual one (though I do admit this chapter is very short)**

**Just to clear things up as I have had a few questions about this. Kel did not know Yuki in the Yamani islands but still fits in with Pierces original story.**

* * *

_They walked in silence back to their empty camp and Kel waited patiently until Yuki had started the fire and decided to begin her own tale on her own without encouragement._

_"My full name is Yukimi noh Daiomoru and I am not training to become a Shang"_

She paused looking at Dree's confused expression before continuing.

"Please don't interrupt me" Kel nodded

A few years ago an alliance was made between Tortall and the Yamani Islands through the use of an arranged marriage between Prince Roald and one of the Yamani Princesses, Princess Chisakami. Your parents were the ones to make the agreement. However two years ago, Princess Chisakami was assassinated by Yamani Rebels who disagreed with the alliance. The cover story was that she was killed in an earthquake, and to make sure the alliance succeeded another Princess was chosen. My father is one of the Emperors most loyal general and was chosen to come up with a solution to the assassination attempts. It was decided that the chosen Princess would go into hiding and two noble girls around the age of the princess would be trained to be her personal guard when she comes to Tortall as she would be exposed and lacking protection from the Yamani Guards as it would be an insult to Tortall if she had many guards. So if two noblewomen were guards it wouldn't be suspicious or an insult. So I was one of the girls chosen. I have been training here in Tortall, to learn about the land and the culture. But I cant let anyone know who I am, especially anyone who is involved with the crown, as if I am discovered by them they may think the Yamani's are trying to assassinate the Prince or any of the Royalty or they may see it as an insult. I wanted to help your friends but i could not risk my identity or my safety. As if I obtain an injury that cannot be disguised I could be discovered by the Crown or I may have died which then results in me not ale to protect the princess. For some reason when I saw you a year ago I was compelled to let you train with us. Something told me that you would be useful to our quest. Also I wanted some company, Eagle isn't the most social person."

Yuki drifted to silence. Kel broke the silence by saying

"I'll help you"

"huh?"

"I'll help you in any way I can. You have done so much for me already and what you have just said definitely explains the weird but useful training." While saying this Kel hugged her Yamani best friend who was in shock. Yuki was sure Kel would hate her for lying to her for a year.

They just sat there for a while contemplating everything that had happened. The dog that had followed them put its head on Kel's knee.

"So I'm guessing we are keeping the dog?" Yuki laughed and said

"I think we are. His name is Jump by the way"

"Welcome to the group Jump" Kel said while patting the dog on the head.

"Do you mean to tell me that someone came out of the bushes in the middle of nowhere to save you?" Wyldon asked not believing what the pages were telling him. The group of pages all nodded. He continued "with a huge spear and wore face paints"

They nodded again

"male or female?"

Faleron answered seeing as he was the supposed leader of the group

"I don't know but I am guessing male because I don't think a girl would…." He trailed off as he remembered Kel and a dark cloud seemed to cover them as they all remembered her. It had been over a year and non of them had heard from her. Not once.

"For lying with a ridiculous story you are all having punishment duty of cleaning latrines when we get to the camp"

"We are not lying!" Owen replied anger evident in his voice.

"Shall I double that?" Wyldon asked.

"So does that mean I can't become a Shang?" Kel asked.

"No" a voice said from behind Kel "unless you want to learn after I finish teaching Yuki and that would take you at least another four years."

Kel thought about it, did she really want to be a Shang? Her immediate answer was no. for some odd reason she didn't feel compelled to walk the life as a shang. She didn't feel the motivation she had to walk the path to knighthood, which even now had not faded.

"No I don't think I want to be a shang. I don't think it is my path."

"Then what do you believe your path is?"

"To become a Rider"


	13. Chapter 13

**This chapter 13 edited**

Two years had passed since the bandit attack in the hill country and the unveiling of Yukimi noh Daiomoru past. During that time Yuki and Dree had trained continuously dawn till dusk in hand to hand combat, assassination techniques, how to treat poisons and wounds, as well as learning other essential training to achieve their ultimate goal of being able to protect the Yamani princess.

The Shang eagle, Yuki and Dree were residing in an inn and eating their supper after a full day of travelling. The inn was situated on the Conte road, south west of the capital, Corus.

Also during the two years of training, Yuki had grown to a medium height, her ebony hair grew long and straight until it reached her waist but her face was still covered by her customary veil but underneath she had grown into a stunning young Yamani woman. She has a round face, with mischief always present in her brown almond shaped eyes. The Shang Eagle's appearance remained the same but the two years had changed Dree's appearance dramatically, her appearance so dramatically you wouldn't believe it was the same girl who had been called a cow and a lump. Her hair had grown long and had been tied into a braid. She had grown taller and leaner. Her different training methods turned her bulking muscles into leaner and more flattering muscles yet still were effective in battle but able to blend in without arousing suspicion if she was disguised as a noblewoman. She had lost all of her baby fat and her womanly curves were now apparent even through her loose fitting clothing. Her skin tanned due to training in the sun and overall was very pretty. They were silently eating their food like most Yamani's did when Eagle broke the silence.

"Dree there is something I need to discuss with you" Eagle said formally as usual. Dree put her food to the side but not before giving a piece of leftover meat to jump, the dog that had become Dree's travelling shadow.

"Dree... Yuki and I are needed back in the Yamani islands and if you want you could come with us and be another body guard for the princess, stay with me and train to become a Shang or leave us and follow another path, like joining the riders like you previously mentioned"

Dree gave her plans another thought. She knew she didn't want to have to wait another four or five years of intense training just to have the title of Shang nor did she want to be restricted as a body guard for one person. She wanted to help people and being in the Riders did that but also protects the princess and gives Yuki back up if needed in Tortall. So she confirmed her previous statement that she had made two years ago.

"I'm going to join the riders in the spring" it was just the end of summer so she had around half a year until then to continue training.

"And what are you going to do until then?"

"I don't know I might train or try and get a job in a village to raise some money to buy extra equipment"

Both Yuki and Eagle frowned at this the comment. Both of them knew how dangerous it was for a lone traveller, let alone a female traveller. Eagle was just about to protest about this when a group of men entered the inn. Dree ignored the men coming in but focused on her food. It wasn't until Eagle queried loudly to the men,

"Raoul?" Eagle started to walk toward the group of men,

"Eagle?" said the man whom Eagle had addressed. He was the biggest man of the group and seemed to have respect out the men around him. Eagle smiled his rare smile and asked

"What are you doing here?"

"Handling bandits. There have been attacks in Haresfield and other small villages in this area so we need to flush them out."

"Need any assistance. My two apprentices could do with some experience"

"Two?" Raoul had never known the Eagle to have one apprentice let alone two.

"Yes, though one of them is regretfully leaving me for other path"

"Awwv you actually sound sad that I'm leaving" Dree said coming to stand next to Eagle. She looked towards Raoul and said "Hello, my name is Dree and I am ditching this old man to join the riders as I was only a temporary travelling companion to begin with but you could argue that it is really them who are ditching me as they are going back to the Yamani islands."

"You shouldn't get your hopes up for the queens riders you know, most people don't make it through the training" one of the men said

Dree, Yuki and eagle laughed while Raoul gave a small smile realising the reason for their laughter. The man stood there confused. Once Dree had calmed down she looked at the man who said the comment shocked at how handsome he was. He was in his early twenties, broad shouldered, big-handed, and he wore his dark hair cut just below his ears. His mouth was long and made for smiling and had deep blue eyes. Dree kept her face in her Yamani calm mask to disguise her attraction to the man. Both of them stared into each others eyes. Hazel versus blue. The rest of the group watched the two with interest and it wasn't until Raoul interrupted them by speaking that they broke their gaze.

"Well…. I have just realised we have not been introduced. My name is Raoul of Malories Peak and Goldenlake, commander of the King's Own. This is my second in command Captain Flyndan Whiteford" Raoul said indicating to stocky, fair skinned, red-brown haired man Raoul continued the introduction of some of the other men before introducing the blue eyed man.

"And this is Sergeant Domitian of Masbolle"

Dree began to introduce her companions while glaring at Domitian.

"Just so you know you shouldn't judge what you don't know about, so I will tell you a bit about me and my companions. My name is Dree and this is my best friend and travelling companion Sakura, and my mentor the _shang_ eagle who I have been training with for the last couple of years and as you seem to question my abilities to join the riders we can spar weapon of your choice or of you prefer hand to hand combat" Dree said with a glint in her eyes , the blue eyed sergeant gulped before speaking

"I wasn't disregarding your abilities. I was just stating the fact that the rider's training is hard process. And at some point we can have a spar with swords"

Dree accepted his roundabout apology and nodded to him as a sign of this but was a bit annoyed at his vague answer about the spar. It had been ages since she had fought a different opponent. She usually was only able to spar with Eagle or Yuki.

"So are we able to assist you in the bandit hunt?" Eagle asked again.

"Sure. The more help we have the easier the job." Raoul said with a grin. The men soon left either back to their camp or in Flyndan and Raoul's case, to the inns rooms.

Dree was suspicious of Eagle's actions. Usually he didn't get involved with the crown for obvious reason but he also didn't get involved in fights that could endanger Yuki in any way. As if she was injured it could reveal Yuki's cover as a innocent Yamani noblewoman.

So Dree asked Eagle

"Why are we helping the own?"

"I was once in a battle with Raoul and he saved my life. I was fighting three men and I didn't realise one was coming up behind me. Raoul intercepted the man's blow and saved my life. So I am in his debt and obliged to help him in any way I can."

Dree couldn't detect any lies in his story but she did believe he had an ulterior motive. She didn't question him any more but kept her suspicions.


	14. Chapter 14

Return as a Rider

Chapter 14

First of all I need to thank all of those who have reviewed, added me to alerts and favourites.

It has made me want to continue writing and stop being so lazy. I still can't believe all the positive reviews I have had. I'm still waiting for someone to say they hate it.

So THANK YOU for all your support. Also special thanks to "Liz" who told me where my errors were in my previous chapter. I really appreciate it.

In this chapter I have changed Kel back to being Kel instead of Dree as I had a few people mentioned it was better as her as Kel.

Also quite a bit of this chapter is taken from Squire- this is so I can stick mostly to the book.

Here is the next Chapter

ENJOY!

The following morning, as soon as the dawn began to break, Kel, Yuki and Eagle were waiting patiently for the Kings Own to appear. All three of them were silent as they sat on their mounts, with Jump sleeping at their feet. All three of them were enjoying the clear summer morning and the sounds of the birds singing. The morning was worthy enough for them each to wish they could write poetry about it or ingrain the memory in their minds. Kel found it quite ironic that it was such a beautiful day to have a horrible task to complete. Rounding up and killing bandits. It was a task she was dreading but also excited for. Firstly she didn't want to kill people but on the other hand she was glad to be able to start helping people and showing people how good a fighter she was.

It wasn't long until the pounding of hooves could be heard. Kel, Yuki and Eagle snapped out of their trance and looked towards the approaching King's Own.

Kel couldn't help but be impressed and awe struck by the blue uniformed fighters. They were an impressive display by anyone's standards. Two columns of at least fifty men, each in the white, blue and sliver, rode beautiful horses down the well trodden road. Raoul rode at the front of the columns with a standard bearer proudly displaying the flag of the King's Own, a silver blade and crown on a royal blue field.

Raoul raised a hand, which Kel assumed was a signal to the men to halt. He looked at Kel and her two companions and nodded his head in greeting before turning his attention towards his men. In a loud voice he said "As you know we are currently heading to Haresfield to flush out bandits. Kindly the Shang Eagle and his two students Sakura and Dree have volunteered to help us in our endeavour." Raoul paused in his speech and looked over his men giving each of a warning glare before continuing speaking

"I expect you to be respectful towards them and that means NO PRANKS" the men of the Kings own began to grin and Kel caught the eye of Domitan of Masbolle. She raised her eyebrow at him. He gave a mischievous smile in return. Kel would have bet her prized glaive that he pranked often.

"Now lets not waste anymore time"

"But Sir" Dom drawled loudly and Kel was hit with a wave of nostalgia. He sounded just like Neal did

"Quiet Masbolle, I wouldn't want any accidents to happen to you" Raoul said with a grin. Kel gave a small smile, it seemed that it wasn't only the common soldiers of the own she had to watch her back for pranks, but the commander also. She saw Raoul's second in command, Flyndan, roll his eyes at Raoul's antics.

Raoul then spoke the trio "You will ride at the front of the column behind Flyndan and me"

Raoul lifted his hand and gave another signal to the men that signified the beginning of their days travelling. Kel, Yuki, Eagle and Jump fell in behind Raoul and Flyndan.

The ride to Haresfield was an experience Kel loved. The whole ride was filled with stories and jokes that he day flew by. One of the most memorable part of the trips were the stories about Raoul told by the men of the own, most notably the blue eyed sergeant who found ways to embarrass Raoul from contradicting what he said. Kel found him very similar to Neal, so similar she found it creepy. She was sure he must have been related to him but she couldn't just ask him as it would lead to a bombardment of questions.

"We get called away from the palace on short notice, so sometimes it is hard to find time to eat. I always try to eat regularly otherwise I go all faint" Raoul shuddered at the thought "only think about the disgrace to the King's own if I fell from the saddle"

"But there was that time in Fanwood" Dom said starting a chain of men remembering the times Raoul fell from the saddle.

"The wedding in Tameran"

"Don't forget what's-his-name, with the army retired"

Raoul glared at Dom

"Silence, insubordinate curs!" cried Raoul "Do not sully our companions with your profane tales!"

"Even if they are true?" that was Dom. It seemed it wasn't just Neal who was well versed in the use of irony.

It was then, that Kel's view of working in the riders brightened. If the riders were anything like these men and no way like Wyldon, she was going to have so much fun when she joined.

Smoke rose over the wooden stockade that surrounded the town of Haresfield. The wind carried scents of burned, wt wood and cooked meat. Kel knew those odours, she had smelled them too often in raided Yamani and Tortallan villages.

They picketed their horses, (and Jump) with those of the squad sent to the town earlier, in a field within view of the walls. This was done to prevent the Own's and the trios tracks to blot out those left by the bandits. Anyone who entered or left the town had to skirt the broad space of trampled mud and grass before the gate, until all of the raiders' signs could be properly read.

The men of the Own worked swiftly and efficiently. They spilt into their squads and were dispersed by Flyndan to survey damage in different areas. Kel wished she could help them but she did not want to be in their way. She only had the basic experience about tracking.

Kel, Eagle and Yuki followed the two commanders, Raoul and Flyndan, through the town to see an overview of the damage. A third of Haresfield had burned to the ground but the other buildings that still stood had fire damage that made them unsafe. The blazes had weakened support beams: roofs sagged, upper floors dropped into lower ones. Smoke drifted everywhere burning Kel's eyes and filling her nose with the reel of ash and burned flesh. Her stomach had already tried to reject her breakfast twice. Unfortunately Yuki hadn't been so lucky.

People laboured in the ruin. Bodies were set beside the street, pieces of cloth over their faces. Kel could only glance at those who had burned; the sight of their swollen, black flesh was too much. Worse, in a way, were those who looked as if they only slept: they had suffocated. Some charred animal bodies, mostly cats and dogs, lay with their masters. Every animal of coin had been stolen.

Kel crouched beside a dead man who clutched a long handled war-axe. He hadn't died in the fire- five arrows peppered his corpse. She turned him slightly she saw that the arrows had gone cleanly through hi. Kel swallowed and blinked away any potential tears. She couldn't be seen as weak. Kel then said

"It was a longbow. Centaur work" looking at the arrow fletching and remembering her lessons she continued "They say that these arrows fly truer – Griffin feathers if I am correct"

Yuki then went to a nearby shutter and pulled out a crossbow quarrel. She showed it to the men and Kel "A human shot this. Centaurs hate crossbows. Raoul and Flyndan looked impressed at Kel and Yuki's findings.

"I don't understand" the headman complained. "We are on good terms with Greystreak and his herd- they wouldn't attack us."

"They had help" said the priestess.

"You don't know for certain" replied the headman.

"I know the evidence of my eyes" retorted the priestess. "Your nephew Macorm and his friend Gavan had gate duty last night. There's no trace of them and the gate wasn't forced-it was wide open."

"Marcom's a good boy. Wild a bit-"

Raoul cleared his throat. The villagers looked at him

"Arguing without facts is pointless" he said, kind but firm. "Flyn, have Volorin's squad bring this Greystreak in. If it wasn't hi herd, he may know whose it is. Send a squad to the palace for aid-healers, clothes, food and so on."

Flyndan, the priestess and the headman went about their business leaving Eagle, Yuki, Kel and Raoul to continue surveying the damage. As soon as they made it to the gate, they saw tracks on the ground. Both Kel and Yuki crouched down to look closer. Kel looked at the churned up mud before saying "I'd guess around twenty five maybe thirty centaurs" She was not sure if she had read the signs correctly. Yuki then continued from Kel saying ""Twenty two humans. The humans left their horses outside the gates- there's marks of horseshoes and picket stakes beside the wall. Centaurs aren't shod"

Kel then took over the analysis "I agree with the priestess. The gate was opened. Its whole, the hinges are solid, there's no blood or anyone dead. Even if the guards were fooled into opening up, there'd be signs of a fight. And they would have shouted. We were told everyone was abed when the raiders got into the houses" Yuki once again began to speak disgust evident as she spoke "Setting fires after they stole, that's mischief or settling old scores. They took every animal they could sell. People are saying they cleaned out the valuables before they set their fires. And if folk recognised the humans with the centaurs, they are keeping quiet." Yuki cursed in Yamani and Kel's hands trembled with rage. The waste and the cowardice-robbing their own people in the middle of the night!- had to be punished.

Eagle then spoke "they'd have to, wouldn't they? Villages like this cut off from most of the world, everyone's related. A raider could be an uncle, a cousin, a brother"

Kel's rage did not cease, if anything it got worse. She stormed off cursing in all the languages she knew and made sure she did not walk over any tracks that could be used as evidence. This was the lowest kind of betrayal, for kinsmen to steal what little people had. She could not understand those who liked romantic ballads of highwaymen and pirates. Anyone who took poor people's life savings were not worth a song. The centaurs were just as bad. They'd been given homes after they had sworn to heed the realms laws. Now they were robbing those who had taken them in.

Raoul, Yuki and Eagle watched Kel storm off in anger. Yuki was about to follow her best friend and sister but was stilled by Raoul's hand on her arm stopping her.

"Leave her. She needs time to calm down" Yuki sighed in defeat knowing that Raoul was correct, Dree always got emotional when innocent people were hurt. Yuki left the two older men and walked off in a separate direction to Kel.

Raoul then said to Eagle "You have two very good students. I know most people who are my age cant track as well as them"

Eagle looked distant "Yes they are exceptional aren't they. I am going to miss Dree when she leaves us"

Kel sat stood facing one of the burnt buildings, still swearing under her breath but not nearly as frequently. Her breathing and heartbeat slowed back down to its usual rhythm as she calmed down. A hand touched her shoulder. It was only when the man was face down in the mud that Kel recognised the man. Horror swept over her as she realised what she had done. She had thrown him to the ground, through a self defence move. The man was Dom

"I am so sorry are you ok" Dom rolled over onto his back before trying to get up. His face was shocked. Kel repeated her earlier words and stretched out her hand to help him up. By this time Dom was laughing, he took her hand and she helped him up. His hand was warm and calloused. The touch sent shivers up her spine. Kel let go of his hand quickly as soon as he was standing. She knew her attraction to him could cause problems.

"I guess its my own fault. I shouldn't have caught you unaware. At least I will know not to do that in the future." Dom said with a grin before walking away, her heart fluttered and she scolded herself before going to find Raoul.

I finished this last week but for some reason I forgot to post it. Also I forgot Jump so I had to add him in to keep the story correct.

Review if you like

AN- the next chapter should be posted later this week.

Thanks again for all your support. I truly appreciate it!

Also a special thanks to Navigator101 for pointing out my mistakes and to Trekkie who pointed out a funny mistake.


	15. Chapter 15

**Once again I am truly sorry, I have had the end of this chapter written for a while but I have really struggled with the beginning. Changing the fight scene was hard but necessary. I am not particularly pleased with it but it will do.**

**All your reviews made writing this a lot easier. I have had so many hits to my english writing skills and reading the positive reviews you all give me brings back my joy for writing. So I thank all of you and I hope you accept my sincerest apologies for the lateness of this chapter.**

**Note - This chapter has sections from squire**

* * *

**Return as a Rider**

**Chapter 15**

Kel had thought she had a decent knowledge of tracking learnt first by Lord Wyldon and secondly by Eagle but the next two weeks expanded both Kel's and Yuki's tracking skills ferociously. Whenever the robbers could mask their trail by walking in streams and over rocks, they did. It reached a point where the hunters moaned at a glimpse of water or a patch of stone. The robbers often split into five or six groups to confuse the trackers. Unfortunately the group of bandits still attacked villages before the trackers could catch them. Clean clothes became a delirium dream. Kel washed hers cold and wore them wet, thanking the gods she didn't get sick easily. The pace was tough but no tougher than her training with Eagle. She still had to get up before the sun and train with Eagle and Yuki, and when they camped in the evening the training would continue again. The men of the Own thought they were mad.

On the ninth day the Own ran out of insect repellent and Lord Raoul sent a party to the palace for supplies, for Riders and the centaurs. The Riders had no group to spare but the supplies and the centaurs arrived swiftly and were very appreciated.

On the fifteenth day they got a piece of luck, a squad of the Own picked up Marcorm, a Haresfield renegade. The young man was filthy and afraid. A bite to his arm was infected. He was bound hand and foot, wounded arm or no. Marcorm gave information on where the bandits were headed next, it turned out to be Owlshollow. Kel and Yuki were not allowed at any of the meetings but from what they had gathered from Eagle and overheard from other soldiers was the Own were going to lay a trap for the bandits at Owlshollow.

Owlshollow appeared to be a small town at the junction of two roads and a river. It was situated on rocky bluffs, protected on two sides from raiders who came by water. The plan was Yuki and Eagle were going to be part of the group that would live in Owlshollow and Kel was to be part of the group, under command of Lord Raoul that drove the bandits to the main fighting force at Owlshollow.

Kel was assigned to fight by Raoul and his standard bearer, Learant. Kel found it odd not having Yuki and Eagle by her side but found herself enjoying the night before the attack with the men of the Own. She particularly got on with Dom's squad. The men found it hilarious that Kel had thrown Dom to the floor when they were in Haresfield and she had proved her worth to them, firstly when she was able to handle difficult situations with the hunt and furthermore when she was able to beat Dom in a sword fight.

When dawn broke, Raoul led the men of the Own, and Kel, on horses to battle. It wasn't long before the attacking force broke through the trees and onto the field where the robbers were. The bandits startled turned heel to face the warriors in blue. It wasn't long before the battle began. Kel began to ignore the sound of the battle, only focusing on what was around her. She didn't hear the battle chorus: horn calls, yells, the clang of metal, the scream of horses. It was a desperate fight. Kel did her best to stay at Lord Raoul's side and it was lucky she did. Just as Kel pulled her glaive out of her recent enemy, out of the woods to the right of them, more bandits and centaurs, approximately twenty came rushing out of the woods. To Kel's horror they were heading to the weakest part of the group, which so happened to be hers, the fighting had been predominately to the front and left with Raoul and his group to the back. Leaving them out numbered until the rest of the company were able to back them up.

Kel knowing protecting Raoul was her task, Kel used all her knowledge she had learnt about protecting the Princess into action. She knew that Raoul could protect himself but the odds were not good and the commanding officer in a fight was the most important figure. She removed left hand from her reigns, directing Peachblossom with her knees. Using her free hand she release three knives from their sheaths, and with deadly accuracy hit three enemies nearly simultaneously that were about to overwhelm Raoul. With her right hand, holding the glaive, she killed the enemy in front of her. Raoul nodded to her in thanks as he cut down his own enemy. Soon both of them with the rest of the Own now at their backs charged and killed the remaining bandits.

After the surprise attack from the side the battle finished quickly and to their surprise without too many casualties on their side. However the same could not be said for the bandits. All of them had been killed apart from a small force of bandits that had surrendered realising it was hopeless to resist the men of the Own. These bandits, that had caused so much damage to multiple villages would be brought to justice for their dreadful crimes at a later date. It was an event Kel was not looking forward to, it is one thing to kill someone in the heat of battle and another to watch a hanging.

The men that had seen Kel's impressive skills at knife throwing, displayed when she saved Raoul's life were looking at her with a mixture of fear and awe. To throw knives with precision against moving objects was a skill but to throw three knives simultaneously and strike killing blows was amazing by any standards.

As soon as the battle had been officially declared over Kel lowered her weapon but she did not loosen her grip on it. She knew that letting her guard down could lead to an early death. Just one bandit that had not been captured could injure or kill someone in an instant and Kel was not willing to take the risk. She did not want her dreams crushed for simple stupidity.

Kel took in her surroundings, bodies of men and centaurs lay strewn across the now bloody field. Kel said a quick prayer to the Yamani God's praying for those she had killed and those on the side she was on that had been injured and killed. However just as she was about to complete her prayer, someone placed a hand on her shoulder. Kel twisted and grabbed the hand that had touched her. Using the momentum she had gathered she threw the person over her shoulder, face down on the ground, her glaive resting gently at the back of the man's throat. Kel was hit with a sense of déjà vu as she looked down at the blue clothed man of the own. Realising her mistake, Kel lifted her glaive off the man, allowing him to turn over onto his back, get up and reveal his identity to Kel.

It was Dom.

Kel bit back a grin that was threatening to be revealed. Instead she asked her face Yamani blank "Didn't I warn you last time not to sneak up on me?"

Dom grinned mischievously in reply saying "I don't think I recall hearing anything of the sort"

"Well then try and remember this episode as a warning" Kel said walking off towards the infirmary a smirk clearly showing on her face.

Kel spent the rest of the afternoon helping in the busy infirmary. Over the years she had developed her medical skills to a proficient level. Kel completed tasks that could be done without the gift yet decreased the Healers workloads meaning they could focus on the more severe cases caused by the attack. It was long tiring work but Kel found it gratifying and found it took her mind off the lives she had taken so easily earlier that day.

Kel hadn't seen Yuki or Eagle in the infirmary so she assumed with relief that they both got through the battle unscathed.

"Can I have a word?" Raoul asked from behind Kel. She looked up from the small amount of food she was delivering to each of the patients that were awake.

"Sure" Kel replied her face blank disguising her confusion. Kel gave her patient the tray of food before following Raoul out of the infirmary away from the patients. Raoul sat on the doorstep of the infirmary and motioned for Kel to do the same. Kel watched the bustling activities of the small village for a few minutes before Raoul broke the silence by speaking

"Dree, I want to thank you for saving my life. Its not something that happens very often but I owe you my life. I want you to know if you ever need anything, whether it be money or a place to stay. As long as its nothing illegal that is..."

Kel was shocked to say the least. She expected a thank you, not Raoul to be indebted to her. Kel was about to speak but Raoul stopped her

"You don't have to redeem it now but at some point I do expect you to call upon that favour"

It was then Kel spoke

"Actually there is something you can help me with"

"Name it"

"As you know I am planning on joining the Riders next spring however Eagle and Sakura are travelling away from Corus leaving me without travelling companions. Is there any chance I could travel with the Own until spring or until the next time you reach Corus?"

Kel stopped speaking however when Raoul was just about to take in a breath of air and give his answer, Kel then added more information to her request

"I would pull my weight and act as if I was one of your soldiers. I can pay for food and I wouldn't get in the way. Im not helpless..."

Raoul held up his hand for her to stop speaking, a grin spread over his face.

"Of all the possible things you could have asked me for, this is the one I least expected but I will allow your request none the less"

Kel's face brightened.

"you will have to follow the rules of the own and there will be no distracting the men" Kel nodded unaffected by these words. she expected nothing less from a commander.

"We will supply you with food and out of interest why do you want to travel with the Own so much? You could travel on your own easily!"

"I'm an alright warrior but on my own I could easily be targeted due to me travelling alone or being a woman. I would have a higher risk of being attacked. I am only human not a cat with nine lives"

Once Kel had finished from her chores at the infirmary, night had already fallen. Kel went in search of Eagle and Yuki and found them quickly enough in the mess tent for the Own. For Kel who had ate minimally all day stomach growled at the smell of food. Kel nodded at Yuki to confirm she knew where they were before queuing up for well deserved food.

Once she sat down, Kel felt as if there was a huge distance between them. She knew it was something more than her "signing up" to travel with the own.

"Dree there is something I need to discuss with you" Eagle began

Kel hesitantly replied "I'm listening"

"As you know Sakura and I have to leave for the Yamani Islands soon"

Kel nodded

"Well...Actually we are planning to leave for Port Caynn tomorrow"

Kel picked up a piece of her food eating while she thought. She knew they were supposed to be leaving soon, but not tomorrow. A harsh reality hit her. Her family was splitting up and she knew it was necessary. Kel put down her cutlery and swallowed her food before presenting them with her news.

"Raoul has agreed to let me travel with the own"

Eagles shocked face turned into relief and another emotion quickly passed over Eagles face one of approval and pride but Kel was oblivious. the silence returned but it was welcomed by all three of them

It was time for her to say goodbye to Eagle and Yuki, her surrogate family and her most trusted friends. Kel wished she could go with them but she knew inside that the path that she followed didn't take her with them. She Keladry of Mindelan was destined for a different path, serving the common people not a princess of the Yamani Islands.

Saying goodbye to Eagle and Yuki felt like someone stabbing her in the chest, unnatural and unwanted. Kel stood in the makeshift stable of the own, previously an unused barn and field, facing opposite Eagle and Yuki. They both stood tall with their travelling gear in the morning light, Yuki's veil fluttering in the wind.

"I guess this is goodbye" Kel said keeping her emotions in check. Kel felt recently that her control had lapsed and felt she had been too emotional in certain situations.

Yuki flew forward in an un-yamani-like way and hugged Kel. The emotions that they had both been holding back were released. Neither one of them cried but they hugged each other with all their strength. Kel knew she would probably get bruises but she couldn't bring herself to care. this was the last time she would see her sister and best friend for a while. Kel pulled back and said

"I want you to take Peachblossom"

Yuki's eyes shot up in shock and she spluttered "What!"

"I want you to take Peachblossom instead of this new horse of yours" Yuki's old horse was unfortunately injured fatally

"Why?"

"For many reasons" Kel said cryptically. Yuki said nothing just ave Kel a meaningful look that translated into "you have to do better than that"

"Firstly you are the only person I would trust with Peachblossom. Secondly when I join the riders, the crown supplies me with two ponies- meaning no Peachblossom. Thirdly Peachblossom would be easily recognised, destroying my cover and finally Peachblossom is the only horse I know who will keep you safe and help you with your task."

"I cant Peachblossom is..." Kel cut her off "You can and you will"

"Dree" Yuki pleaded her will wavering. Yuki looked directly into Kel's eyes and saw the stubbornness that lingered there. Yuki nodded in submission and said "You can take my replacement horse and sell her when you get to Corus. You will use that money on yourself! No giving it away to children or anyone else. Use it to buy a kimono or something"

Kel nodded accepting the terms. Yuki then said "your my best friend but sometimes i wished you weren't this stubborn."

Yuki then dragged her horse off to go and retrieve Peachblossom leaving Kel with Eagle to say goodbye. there was an awkward silence before kel abruptly did a Yamani bow saying quickly "thank you so much for my training you gave me. I don't know what i would have done without your help"

Eagle couldn't stop a grin appearing on his face at his students actions.

"I don't think I had much of a choice in the first place" he said remembering her persistence when she asked him to train her. Kel straightened with a grin as she remembered that day. It was hard to believe that it was over three years ago as it felt as if it was only yesterday to her. they started reminiscing about certain moments before Kel spoke again saying "can I ask you something?" confused Eagle nodded

"If I were to have become a shang what would my name have been?"

Kel watched them fade into the distance, tears still unshed. she remembered the common phrase, as one door closes another opens. her dream was soon going to become a reality however not under the name Keladry of Mindelan but as Dree Griffin.

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**I hope you liked this chapter:)**

**Review**

**Quickreader93**


	16. Chapter 16

**Return as a Rider **

**Chapter 17**

Kel found traveling without Yuki or Eagle was strange. She missed their training sessions early in the morning and the comfort of having a friend who she could confide everything with. Kel was glad to have her faithful companion Jump with her, through her time traveling with the Own. The Own were a tight bunch and at times Kel found it difficult to fit in. The men would try and refrain from saying certain things as she was a woman, she found it annoying when they would whisper to each other and when she enquired they would laugh and say "It is not fit for a woman's ear". Dom's squad were a blessing as they did not care that she was a woman or not part of the Own. However throughout the beginning of her traveling with the Own, some men took it upon the to try and be more than a female traveller. These men however were dealt with quickly and quietly and were sometimes held at bay by Jump. She remembered the warning Raoul gave her, and kept each of the incidents quiet. She didn't want to be forced to travel alone or lose Raoul's respect. Since Yuki and Eagle left she found herself becoming closer to him. They would have debates about combat and tactics and political issues. Her respect for Raoul increased drastically the more she rode with him and the Own, and began to see him as a close friend. Kel kept up with the pace of the Own as well as the extra practice in the mornings and late at night, she wouldn't allow herself to get distracted. She wanted to be the best rider she could be.

Raoul took the Third Company back into the Royal forest and in those weeks Kel met charcoal burners, freshwater fishermen, hunters, miners and hermits who eked out life in this wild part of the kingdom. She also met more immortals than she had ever seen throughout her travelings with Eagle. This was no tour however. The captured nearly twenty robbers, burned three nests of spiderens and killed nine hurroks of a band of thirteen- the others fled.

Just before they were about to reach Corus, Kel learned of the Own's constant pace. A messenger intercepted the group on the Corus road. The messengers brought news of fires in towns near Goldenlake and the slower pace that the Own had fallen into since the bandit hunt soon left and the quick pace began once again as they rode to help the people deal with the fires.

The forest fires took multiple days to put out and many more days to start the rebuilding of a vast area. Some of the remaining blackened houses had to be torn down and rebuilt due to the severity of the blaze, the rest were already demolished by the roaring flames.

it was here Kel learned of her inability to use a hammer when building houses. It became a joke with Dom's squad and once Raoul saw her handiwork he immediately swapped her from building to being a scribe and as an extra helper with the cooks. Kel's fingers were very grateful for Raoul's switch.

The cold was starting to set in when they finished rebuilding the town and soon they departed heading back to Corus for the second time. However as the fief of Goldenlake was near the rural town, Raoul decided the Own deserved a break at his fief for the Midwinter festivities. They stayed in Goldenlake for 5 days recuperating before returning to the road and to Corus.

Kel began thinking of a plan as they rode closer to Corus. She had just under two months to waste before enrollment to the Riders started. Kel moved her horse so she could ride next to Dom. He gave her a mischievous smile and asked her " To what do I owe the pleasure of your presence?"

"Do you know of any good inns in Corus that I could stay in cheaply until I can apply for the riders?"

Dom paused to think before speaking

"Well the Jugged Hare is a popular inn for the Own and it is pretty central and cheap. I can point it out to you when we ride into Corus for you"

"Thank you, thats really helpful" and then regular conversation continued until the view of Corus came into fell silent before the sight in front of her. He heart momentarily stopped as she gazed upon her old home in the light of the evening sky. Around her the men were quiet as if they too were taking in the magnificent sight.

Memories of when Kel was last at the palace swarmed into her head. Memories of her year mates, Merric, Cleon, Roald, Seaver, Faleron and her best friend Neal. She remembered fighting alongside them against the spiderens and bullies. She remembered her feathered friends and the lessons she took. Kel smiled at her memories.

* * *

The Own descended into the bustling city in two straight lines. The sea of blue, an impressive site for those watching. As they proceeded into the town, Kel's eyes looked around her in childlike wonder. It had been so long since she was last here. As they we nearing the castle, Dom caught Kel's attention by hollering to her "That's the inn you should stay in" pointing to the in with the sign "The Jugged Hare".

Raoul who was riding next to her turned to look at her with an enquiring look in his eyes. She responded " This is my time to leave you, that lovely inn is awaiting me

Raoul responded with a grin

"I don't think so. I haven't travelled with you this long to let you off that easily. You will stay at the palace until recruitment starts"

"No sir, you have already done too much for me. I am staying at the inn."

"I haven't done that much, and you can always help out in the two months. Be a scribe or something, there is always something to do in the Own."

Kel wanted to protest, but she knew it was pointless, Raoul could be very stubborn at times. Kel hung her heat in submission.

"'Thank you sir"

In a way she was glad he offered for her to stay at the palace, she had made some good friends in the own and the savings in accommodation could be used to buy new and better equipment.

Kel looked behind her and saw Dom smirking at her, and realized what he had done, shouted to him

"Dom! Tomorrow morning, you are sparring with me in hand to hand combat" Dom groaned while the other men laughed.

* * *

The two months at the palace passed quickly. Kel was constantly busy doing chores for the Own and on her days off exploring Corus. She sold her horse, bought clothes and items she thought would be handy to trained with the own on a regular basis and had Raoul start to teach her jousting, using his spare horse as hers had been sold. And in turn Kel taught Raoul some of the skills she learnt from the Shang and some Yamani customs. She avoided page areas like the plague, she didn't have the confidence to face her old residence or chance seeing her old friends and unlocking her memories.

On the morning riders enrollment started, Kel began her workout earlier than usual due to her nerves. As soon as the midday bell tolled Kel made her way across to the riders main office next to the riders stable and barracks.

* * *

Sorry it has taken so long, I have been extremely busy.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter

Review!

Also I haven't checked through this yet, so there are probably a lot of mistakes.


	17. Chapter 17

**Return as a Rider**

**Chapter 18**

Just as Kel was walking up to the riders office to start her new adventure, Yuki stood with the Yamani delegation watching Tortall come into view from the safety of their ship. In a few short hours Yuki's future task was going to begin. The protection of the Princess would become

Are you ready for this?" Yuki asked the woman next to her.

"We have trained enough for the past couple of years to be" the princesses mage protector Lady Hanname replied.

* * *

Neal, the newly made squire of Sir Alanna of Pirates Swoop stood along with the Tortallan delegation in Port Caynn. They were waiting for the future queen of Tortall, Roald's betrothed. While waiting Neal began to think of the of the time he has been Alanna's squire. Despite his initial reaction to being chosen as her squire, which he opposed. He had grown to like his position and he had learned a lot about healing throughout his time with her. Still he wished his best friend could have taken his place. Even though he hadn't seen or heard from Kel in years, he still considered her his best friend. He missed training alongside her and being told off to eat his vegetables. He missed how their group used to be. He wished she had been allowed to continue her training. He wondered where she was, the Mindelean's since Kel's expulsion from page training never visited Corus. Neal had sent letters to Kel and her parents and after a ridiculous amount of letters, he received a short note from Baroness Illane of Mindelan that Kel was not in Mindelan but traveling and training, however he was bound to secrecy otherwise it could damage their reputation. Neal took what was said to heart and never told anyone, not even his friends.

The Yamani delegation disembarked the boat in efficient elegance. Their exotic clothing stood out compared to the Tortallan's muted attire. The formalities began as soon as they departed and every member of each delegation was introduced. By the time they finished all of the Yamani's luggage and horses had been unloaded and ready for travel. Both delegations were only going to travel to outside of Port Caynn to a large inn for the night as traveling to Corus would require a full days travel.

As the combined delegation rode through the busy streets of Port Caynn, Neal looked over to the princess and to her ladies in waiting. He was shocked to see that one of the ladies, instead of riding in the carriage with the princess, she was riding a beast of a horse. It was nothing like the docile horse he would have expected, it could have easily been a war horse. The horse however looked familiar. The familiarness of the horse was pushed to the back of his mind as they arrived at the inn for the night.

Another round of formalities began, however he was saved as he was assigned by his knight mistress to put their horses in the stable. Neal took his time brushing down the horses and drew out the time while in the stable. He did not want to return to the frivolities. Knowing his knight mistress would be annoyed for taking so long Neal began to leave the stable. Its only when he saw the beast of the horse the lady in waiting was riding that he paused and walked closer to it that his previous engagement flew to the back of his mind. As he drew closer to the horse, that the familiarites with the horse grew more pronounced. He couldnt remember where he had seen this horse before and it wasnt until he was close enough to the horse, when the horse leaned out and bit him, that he recognised the horse. It was Kel's horse. It was Peachblossom.

"Let go of him" a female voice demanded from behind him. Peachblossom withdrew his mouth from Neal's arm and hung his head in shame. Neal had never seen Peachblossom be so obedient. Neal turned around to see the beautiful Yamani lady in waiting who was riding Peachblossom earlier.

"I see you got too close to my horse" she said in a barely accented voice

Neal still in shock from seeing Kel's horse stared at her for a moment before asking in desperation and haste

"Where did you get that horse?"

Yuki, with her Yamani mask on responded by asking "What is your name squire?"

"Where did you get that horse?" his frustration evident in his voice.

Yuki still calm as a lake replied

"It is not your right to know where my horse came from nor the right to outright rude and raise your voice with me. You do not know me and you have not introduced yourself to me. You would think being nobility and a squire to Sir Alanna of Pirates Swoop would have taught you better manners."

Neal stood their embarrassed.

"My name is Nealan of Queenscove"

Yuki recognised the name from the stories Dree used to tell her from her page training and taking pity on the squire she said "That horse was given to me by a friend"

The calmness that Neal gained after being reprimanded came, left as swiftly as it came.

he began asking questions desperately once again.

"What was this friends name? Was it Keladry of Mindelan? When did you last see her? Is she alright?"

Yuki knowing she opened a can of worms, groaned inwardly at her mistake. She waited patiently for the ranting brown haired, green eyed handsome squire to stop. When he did, she took pity on him she decided to put the young man out of his misery and replied

"The friend who gave me this horse" she paused "I haven't seen in a while"

Neal took in a deep breath as if he was going to start ranting again but stopped when the lady in waiting began speaking again "however that last time I saw this person, they were fine."

'Please tell me where and when you last saw her?"

Yuki finally becoming annoyed with the squire replied

"I have better things to do with my day than answer these pointless questions, questions I don't know the answers to. Good day to you!" Yuki said bowing in Yamani fashion and turned to walk away.

Neal grabbed her arm to stop her walking away but due to Yuki's Yamani and Shang training, Neal promptly lay on the ground face down on the ground with his arms held behind him so if he moved, his arm would be broken.

"If this girl you are looking for wished to be found she will find you. I want to be left in peace so I can look after the princess. If you get in my way, you will get a lot worse than a bit of dirt in your clothes"

Yuki then turned and this time left the stables and did not look back. Neal red faced with embarrassment and awe that the Yamani woman had been able to pin him to the ground without a sweat and implant fear into him to ask questions (which had rarely been done). One thing he had learnt from the encounter with the Yamani was that Kel was an acquaintance of the Lady in waiting.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Im not particularly pleased with it but its an update:)

Review

Hmmm I bet you all didnt think I would update this soon!

I think this will be my last chapter for a while. I have started writing the next chapter, it just depends if I have the time to finish it


	18. Chapter 18

**Sorry for the late update, my life has been hectic! I found this chapter hard to write but hopefully you all will love it. **

**The wonderful WarriorKnight has kindly edited this chapter and fixed my mistakes:)**

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 19**

Kel stepped into the bustling main buildings of the Riders, surrounded by people from all parts of the land. Some people were loitering around, talking to others as they passed. Some people were looking around the place in fear and wonder, while others were queuing up at multiple desks for registration to the Riders. Kel was surprised by the amount of people already there. She had expected it to be quiet, considering it was the first day of enrollment and early in the morning.

As Kel waited patiently in the queue behind a group of giggling girls, she secretly hoped she wouldn't be rooming with them. Their high-pitched voices were already driving her insane after ten long and tedious minutes. She was finally saved from her torment when one by one the group of girls was diminished to zero as they were called to the registration stations. Finally, Kel's turn arrived and she was greeted by a monotone voice and a head buried in sheets of paper and ink.

"Welcome to the riders. Are you sure you want to join?"

"Yes" Kel replied confidently.

"Name?"

"Dree Griffin."

"Age?"

"15."

"Where are you from?"

"I'm nomadic."

"Any previous experience in combat, riding, etc…?"

"Trained with Shang for 3 years and capable rider"

The attendant looked up and his eyes widened slightly in surprise, but then surprise turned to suspicion and disbelief.

"Any lies will not be looked favorably upon. Do you wish to change any information?"

"No" Kel said with conviction in her voice.

"The rules of the riders are as follows..."

Kel listened to the long list of rules and nodded once in a while. When he finally finished, Kel was slightly disheartened, as during his speech he mentioned no pets. Over the years, particularly since she left Yuki and Eagle, she had grown attached to Jump, her faithful canine companion.

"The barracks are…"

Kel thanked the man and exited the main building, following the directions to the female dormitories. A new dormitory had been built since Kel had left the palace to accommodate the increase of Rider applicants. Kel entered the left barracks with the painted red door as instructed. Kel had been assigned to the second floor, room one dormitory. Each of the two floors had two dormitories and could accommodate twelve in each. The male barracks was bigger, but that was to be expected, as there were currently more male Riders than female.

Kel didn't have all of her equipment—most of it still in the room she occupied during her time with the Own—so she didn't have much to lug up the flight of stairs. She dumped her single bag on the bed furthest from the door and closest to the window. The window could easily be used as an escape if needed.

After a quick look around the barracks and the rest of the rider complex, Kel made her way back to the Own's slightly grander complex so she could eat lunch with her friends of the Third Company. She had decided to avoid eating in the Rider's mess for as long as possible.

As she entered the Own's mess, Kel ran into her friends.

"So, you have abandoned us for our enemies?" Dom said dramatically as she sat down at their table. The Riders were known for being the prank rivals to the Own.

"Not abandoned, just infiltrated the enemy. By the way, Dom: will you look after Jump for me? The Riders wont let me keep him."

"See, this is why you should pull an Alanna and stay in the Own." Before she could say anything, Wolset chimed into the conversation. "But then she would have to see _you_ everyday."

"You make that sound like a bad thing. I'll have you know, most women find my looks very attractive. Lady..."

Wolset punched Dom in the shoulder to shut him up and before Dom could retaliate, Kel interrupted, saying, "So will you look after Jump?"

"Like he is royalty." Dom replied and Kel smiled.

"So what was your first impression of the Riders?" Lerant asked, trying to stop any more dramatics.

Kel began describing her first impressions before ranting about the giggling girls and the clerk who didn't believe her training. Kel took a deep breath when she finished ranting.

Dom was the first to speak after Kel's ranting. It was the most he had ever heard her speak in one go; it was quite startling.

"Well first off, the clerk is stupid for not believing you, and secondly, were the girls pretty? Because if so, you shouldn't complain so much," he stated with a smirk.

Kel was the one to hit him this time while the other men chortled.

"Don't say anything until you've met them. They would drive anyone insane, I'll tell you that much."

"So you're going to introduce them to us?"

Before Kel could reply, Dom was called away from the table by Raoul. The other men at the table sighed. They knew what this meant: Third Company was going back on the road.

As soon as the men left, Kel gathered her gear from her room and moved it to her new dormitory. There were a few bags in the dormitory, so it seemed she had new roommates. She prayed to the Yamani gods that they wouldn't be the giggling girls. Grabbing a few weapons, Kel made her way to the Rider's practice yard. Like the main building earlier in the day, the yard was filled with people of different ages practicing different forms of hand-to-hand combat and weaponry. It was then that Kel realized just how committed the Riders were to their profession. Kel knew she would fit right in with these people.

Kel cautiously made her way across the practice yard to a free corner. She began with weaponless pattern dances to warm up before taking out her glaive. Time seemed to pass in a blur as she focused completely on the moves. Nothing could distract her. It was just her and the bladed staff. No one paid any attention to her as she practiced long into the afternoon with a variety of weapons.

After visiting the women's bath, Kel ate dinner in the Own's mess with some of her other friends in the Own. She still didn't want to risk the Rider's mess. When she finished, she made her way back to the dormitories, which were thankfully empty. Taking a seat on her new bed, she began cleaning her weapons with precision.

However, around halfway through, after the sun had set, her other roommates decided to make an entrance. Their giggling and shrieks interrupted Kel from her task, and she knew who they were before she looked up. She felt as if she could hear Sakuyo laugh; it was the annoying girls from before. The girls introduced themselves and Kel gave her own name. Though she did so politely, she did not attempt to start a conversation with them or remember their names. She was not interested in the frivolous talking of girls who weren't going to make it, or girls that were going to talk about men all night. Kel erected her Yamani mask and ignored them to her greatest capability.

She didn't get much sleep that night. Nor much the following week. It wasn't until the night before training when Kel finally snapped. She had been cleaning her weapons once again when the one of the females whom Kel couldn't name approached Kel.

"What is your problem?"

"My problem?" Kel asked, baffled.

"Yes, your problem?"

"I don't understand: I haven't done anything wrong. I have sat here, quietly cleaning my weapons."

"You ignore us. You ..."

Kel interrupted her before she could say any more. "Its more you and your female hyenas who have the problem. You are here to train, not giggle or gossip about men. Now, if you would leave me in peace, it would be greatly appreciated."

"Why you little..."

Kel threw the knife.


	19. Chapter 19

**At long last I have finished this chapter. Sorry for the long wait. Thank you to all you who reviewed. Your feedback was a joy to read. This chapter varied from my actual plan. When I started writing extra characters started appearing and different events occurred. But this flowed quite well so I decided to keep it.**

**I hope you like this chapter.**

**Enjoy!**

**P.S As usual t****he wonderful WarriorKnight has kindly edited this chapter and fixed my mistakes:)**

**Chapter 19**

Kel sat in a very uncomfortable wooden chair in a medium sized office facing a large wooden desk. The chair on the other side was empty and the person meant to be occupying it was pacing the room, deciding what to say. She was a short muscular woman with level black eyes, a firm mouth and straight black hair. A person Kel had only met once before, in a brief and life changing encounter.

Buriram Tourakom stopped pacing and sat down in the seat opposite and stated the basic fact: 'You threw a knife at a fellow recruit."

Kel did not deny it. "Yes ma'am."

"Any particular reason?"

"They were annoying me."

"You do realise you can be severely punished for your actions?"

"Yes, and I am willing to take all punishment that is given to me. I knew what I was doing when I threw that knife."

"You could have killed her if you hadn't missed."

"I did not miss; I aimed correctly. I did not even hit a strand of her hair. I was merely making a statement." Kel said, staring directly into the commander's brown eyes.

"By throwing a knife?"

"Yes, I had to get it into her pretty head that if she angers a good warrior, she will be killed instantly."

"And you class yourself as a good warrior?"

"I class myself as a decent one."

Buriram opened the file in front of her while her hand rested on a gem. Kel realised that it was some sort of test, a type of truth-seeing device.

"Your file says you trained with Shang?"

"I have trained for the past 3 years. You may ask Sir Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak, Commander of the King's Own if you do not believe me."

"Raoul? Why would he have any dealings with you?"

"For the past few months I have been staying with the Own after I fought alongside him in Owlshallow."

"Why did you not become a Shang?"

"I wish to be a Rider and help people." Kel said simply.

"And you couldn't do that as a Shang warrior?"

"Not as effectively."

"Will you harm a trainee on purpose?"

"I will only hurt someone in self-defense. I will not go out to hurt someone. My only aim at the moment is to become a successful Rider."

Buri paused, thinking about all the information that had been given before speaking again.

"You will be given a warning this time. You will help clean up the mess for two bells for the next month. That is a very lenient punishment."

"Yes ma'am."

"Now back to the barracks and sleep."

Kel, hearing the obvious dismissal, stood up and made her way to the door. Before she left, Burium called out.

"Is the girl really that annoying?"

"Ridiculously so. The laugh is the worst, though," Kel said with a smile.

Burium smiled "There's always a few every year, and they are always weeded out."

Kel returned to the barracks to find the majority of her roommates glaring at her. Kel sighed and made her way to her bed to prepare herself for sleep. Training started tomorrow and she wanted to be on top form. She needed to prove to everyone that she belonged here.

"So, are you being kicked out?" one of the glaring females asked her.

"No." Kel replied while taking off her boots. This girl did not require her full attention. The girl didn't ask anymore, but she did start whispering about it to her companions. Not in the mood to tell them to gossip elsewhere, Kel ignored them, rested her head and meditated to sleep.

The morning came quickly, and Kel woke and dressed well before the others. Just as she was fixing her hair, a loud bellow reverberated through the room, waking even the deepest sleepers.

Training had begun.

The training group of around sixty—about twenty of them female—stood outside the barracks, facing their instructors.

"Welcome to the Riders," A tall dark skinned man began. "Your time here will not be easy and at least half of you will be weeded out. You are not here to waste the Crown's money; you are here to train and become part of the highly regarded Queen's Riders." He paused and, with a glint appearing in his eyes, barked "Run around the pasture." Kel and a few others automatically began jogging to the pasture, knowing this man was not one to mess with. However, quite a few others didn't realise this and were subjected to his roar, "NOW!"

Knowing this man was going to try and break them, Kel took a slightly slower pace than the majority. She did not want to wear herself out too soon. She had learnt the hard way in the past with Eagle. Slowly but surely, Kel began to overtake the other trainees, and by the 5th lap, she was among the top five people. Kel looked at each of them, trying to catalogue them as potential riders. Three of them were male and only one was easily distinguishable as a Bazhir. The other person was female and at first glance looked far too thin to be in any way fit to be a warrior. But despite this, she was first and seemed to be coping with the pace the best. Kel decided there must be more to her and made a mental note to watch her in the near future.

By the 8th lap, everyone was struggling and breathing heavily.

"Stop!" the large man barked.

Everyone began to gather around the tall man again.

"That was pathetic! You should be better than that. You are training to be _Riders_. You will do 5 laps of the pasture every morning from now on. My name is Sarge. I am your training master and I will make your life hell. I will not tolerate slackers. Now, let's do some real training."

"How many of you have been trained in hand- to-hand combat before?" Sarge asked the group. A third raised their hand.

"How many of you think you could defeat a rider in hand to hand combat?"

Only a couple of hands remained up, Kel's being one of them. She was confident in her abilities and not shying away this time. She may seem arrogant to most people, but she was merely confident in her abilities, no more.

"Come forward, those who think they can beat a rider."

Kel looked around to see who was joining her in her walk forward. There were 3 others.

She was surprised by the small amount of people. Maybe they were too shy or were biding their time.

"Pair up."

Kel ended up being paired with the Bazhir who was in the leading five runners earlier.

"You are going to spar each other and I will evaluate whether you will be put in an advanced class. You two, begin."

The two men of Tortallan background began to spar. Kel could tell they had been trained, however she could see some of their flaws quite clearly. The shorter man with blond hair's left punches were always slightly weaker and the other man with lank brown hair didn't have good footwork. It was only for demonstration purposes, so they weren't going at each other harshly. This was probably a mistake. Kel believed you should fight fully every time.

"Stop. Next two."

The two men sighed in relief and shook each other's hand. Kel took her place opposite the Bazhir and bowed in Yamani fashion, to which he responded with a bow. Kel began with the first strike which he blocked easily. She could tell he was slightly surprised by her speed. They began exchanging fists followed by kicks, slowly speeding up. Kel could tell he was a good fighter and well trained, however he was no match for her Shang Training. After a few more regular strikes Kel ducked and swept her foot out catching him off guard and knocked him off his feet.

Kel offered her hand to the man to help him up, saying, "That was a good spar."

The Bazhir looked at her, nodded, and replied, offering his name "Hassim of the Sandrunners."

Kel replied, simply saying "Dree". It was a short conversation but it was laced with respect for the other's combat abilities.

"Quit chatting. The four of you will be put in the advanced class. Any others wishing to be tested?" he said, turning his attention back to the squabble of trainees.

A few more got the courage to try and only 2 people did not make it. Just as they finished testing the trainees, woman approached the group. Sarge nodded to her, Kel recognised her but kept her recognition beneath her Yamani face, not letting it affect her. Sarge then raised his voice above the gaggle of voices.

"This is the Shang Wildcat, your new instructor."


	20. Chapter 20

**Thank you so much for all the reviews. To this day I am still so shocked by the amount of support I have had for this story. I am sorry it has been so long, I have been very busy.**

**This story seems to have a mind of its own. So many characters are joining my story that I never expected. It has been interesting to say the least.**

**Well ENJOY!**

**Edited by the wonderful WarriorKnight! **

* * *

**Return as a Rider Chapter 20**

_"This is the Shang Wildcat__, your new instructor.__"_

"My name is Eda Bell, and just because I look like a grandmother does not mean I will act like one to you. Now, becoming a Rider requires great discipline and skill. I am your teacher, and I will show no mercy in your training. I will be drilling the advanced group while Sarge here will teach you rookies." The Wildcat paused, eying the potential riders. Kel looked at her and felt like she had stepped back in time to her page years, about to face her first lesson.

However, Kel was particularly nervous: she could be recognized by the Wildcat. Kel knew she had changed in appearance and personality since the fateful day when she met Eagle and Yuki, so she had a slim chance of being identified. Though, it was this slim chance that could ruin her prospects of being a successful rider.

"This way, rookies," Sarge bellowed, leading them to the other side of the practice courts. Only the few who tried out remained, under the watchful eye of Eda Bell.

"Today, we are going to keep it simple. Each of you will carry out basic punches and kicks while I check your technique."

The group was an even number, so Sarge split them into groups of two. Kel ended up opposite the thin female who had been in the lead during the running exercise earlier that day. Now, seeing her up close, Kel realized the girl wasn't as withered as she'd originally thought. Despite being thin, the girl had muscles. She had intense blue eyes and dirty blond hair that was tied back from her face. Kel spotted an outline of knives underneath her breeches and shirt as well. It was common to carry knives, just not to have them hidden. Curious to know more about this girl, Kel started by saying, "My name is Dree."

"Kiera," the girl responded. Apart from the brief exchange of names, neither of them spoke, only carrying out the task that was given.

Time passed quickly, and soon the noon bell rang loud and clear. Throughout the course of the lesson, the Wildcat only corrected Kiera's punch and Kel's left kick. Even then, they were only minor changes.

"Dree, please wait a moment," Eda said as the class was dismissed for lunch. As soon as the rest of the other trainees were out of earshot, Eda began to speak. "I have been informed you have been trained by a Shang. Is this true?"

"Yes, for 3 years," Kel responded.

"Which Shang?"

"The Shang Eagle."

"No, I don't believe I remember ever meeting a Shang Eagle. I assume you do not want the other trainees to know?"

"It does not bother me. I just wish to become a Rider, and I will not hold back."

"Good to know. You are dismissed".

Eda watched Kel walk to the mess hall. Something was familiar about that girl, and Eda knew the girl was hiding something. She would have to watch that girl.

* * *

Kel entered the busy mess hall, joining the line of hungry trainees waiting to get food. A small sense of sadness washed over her. Despite only a few days at the Riders', she missed eating in the King's Own mess hall, with Dom and the rest of his squad. In the time she was with the Own, she became good friends with them, particularly Dom.

Once she had gathered her food, Kel looked for a table. In the corner of the room, Hassim and Kiera sat quietly eating their lunch. They did not speak to each other. Kel made her way over to them; they both seemed to be the least irritating out of the Rider trainees. When Kel was in front of their table, the two of them looked up at Kel and then back at their food. Kel took this as a sign that she was able to sit down. For this, Kel was thankful, as she needed to find companions to get through the Rider training. It had been lonely since she joined, and Kel never realized how much she depended on companionship.

So, Kel began the conversation. "Who do you think will drop out first?"

Hassim looked up from his plate, analyzed her with his piercing dark eyes and replied, "Blond-haired guy who tried for the advanced class and failed." Kel was slightly surprised by his answer, but before she could question it, Kiera spoke. "Hmm, I would have to disagree with you. See that guy over there?" She motioned towards a male on the other corner of the room. "He will drop out first. He is already deliberating it."

Kel was surprised by their responses, so different and not the usual answers.

"Well, I hope it will be my dorm mates. They are so irritating. I wish I could throw another knife at them to shut them up!"

Kiera laughed while the Bazhir gave a small smile. Kiera then said "I heard their cackles from the next room. They have been...Wait...You were the one who threw the knife?"

"Knife?" Hassim asked, confused

"My dorm mates annoyed me so much, I tried to scare them by throwing a knife. It shut them up for a bit and they now stay away from me, so I suppose it was a success."

"I have to admit, I'm jealous you got to it first," Kiera replied.

Before any more could be said, Sarge's voice bellowed across the hall.

"Trainees put your trays away and follow me. Theory lessons will now commence."

* * *

The afternoon of the first day of training was spent learning the hierarchy of the Riders, the rules of the Riders, map reading, maths and history. Kel stuck next to her new acquaintances. Hassim struggled with the book learning while Kiera struggled a bit with the map reading, but between the three of them, they made it easily through the class. The classes were boring, but a necessity.

As soon as the bell rang, the trainees made their way to the bath houses. A lot of them were complaining about being sore and tired. It was only the first day, and Kel knew it was going to be worse tomorrow. The loud chatter that filled the bath house was less than appealing, but the baths were nevertheless great after a day of hard work. No one commented on Kel's abundance of scars, just like Kel did not comment on Kiera's striking one that stretched from shoulder to hip, diagonally across her back.

After all the trainees had bathed, they met in the Rider's mess for meditation. The mess hall was a lot quieter than it had been at lunch, as the majority of the trainees were mute with exhaustion. Kel, Kiera and Hassim sat at the same table in companionable silence.

Before long, the trainees were called to meditation. This was another subject Kel was familiar with. Eagle had made her meditate every evening to help her deal with her emotions. Kel found it very similar to using her Yamani mask. Many people did not see the point in meditating—including Kiera—and many of the trainees fell asleep, much to the amusement of the mentors.

During meditation, Kel reflected on her day. Her first day of Riders was interesting, to say the least. Seeing a person from her past, meeting two new people and beginning her new adventure. Her two new acquaintances were very different. Keira had turned out to be very headstrong and wanted action, not thought, while Hassim preferred to look from a distance and analyze everything before attempting anything.

Kel was surprised by Hassim. Compared to Zahir, he was very different. Zahir was very against female warriors, while Hassim did not mind in the slightest. Kel knew she would have to find out more about her new companions. Both of them seemed to have a lot of secrets. Either way, Kel believed she had made good allies, and she went to sleep that night with a content smile on her face.


End file.
